Modern Piano-Teaching Townsend

flODERN
IflNO-TEdCHINQ
BY
TOWNSEND,
C2 London,
LJSI
449
MODERN
PIANO-TEACHING
BY
WILLIAM
TOWNSEND
Copyright, 1911,
Price 3s. net.
by Bosworth
&
Co.
Cloth 4s. net.
LONDON:
BOSWORTH
17,
& CO.
Paris.
And
at
Hanover Square, W. Leipzig, Vienna, Zurich, and New York (T. B. Harms).
Index.
Page
Chapter
I.
Introductory
II.
Key-properties
Application of Energy to the Keyboard
Passivity
3
12
III.
IV.
19
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
Old and
New
Methods.
Arm-Movements
22
Arm-Rolling Motion
Curve-Outlines
Rolled Weight
...
32
39
45
IX.
Application of Rolled Weight. divided equally
The "Ordinary"
Ellipse
55
X.
The
Ellipse divided unequally as to Speed. Fitting the "Ordinary" Ellipse to the Note-pattern. Un-
equal curve-lengths
XI.
77
The
Ellipse with Irregular Fingering.
The
Ellipse in
XIL.
Compound Motion The Loop. The "Reversed"

Eight
87
Ellipse.
The
Figure-
93
108
119
:
XIII.
The
Scale
XIV.
The Arpeggio
Muscular-Tension Muscular-Tension
Double-scales.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
Free
128
Applied
143
The Tremolo.
The
Trill.
18-*
TABLE OF EXERCISES.
Exercise
I.
Section
Fore-arm rotation
fingers
;
pivoting
on 2nd, ^
3rd,
4th,
and 5th
19
.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
Fore-arm rotation pivoting on 1st finger (thumb) Shoulder Exercise; vertical Shoulder Exercise; lateral; contrary motion Shoulder Exercise lateral similar motion
;
19
20
20
20
20
20
Arm-swing
Pressure-Exercise
Free-arm Exercises
separately
. .
outlining figures "in the air"
arms
25
IX.
Free-arm Exercises
separately 'Free-arm Exercises
outlining figures "in the air" outlining figures "in the air"
arms
25
X.
arms
26
XI.
simultaneously Free-arm Exercises

contrary
compound
parallel
compound27
.
XII.
XIII.
The four preceding exercises worked Making elliptic figure "ordinary"

;
at the
28 keyboard hands ellipse

:
separately
36
figure
;
XIV.
Making
elliptic
"reversed"
ellipse
hands
36
separately
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
Making
Making Making Making
elliptic figure;
both
ellipses,
hands simultaneously,
36
:
contrary motion
elliptic figure
;
dissimilar pairs of fingers
con-
trary
motion
;
36
dissimilar pairs of fingers
:
elliptic figure
parallel
motion
XVIII.
elliptic figure;
36
compound-parallel, and compound-
contrary motion
36
tone-production
XIX.
Teaching
single-note
made
to
the
XX.
XXI.
"ordinary" ellipse Teaching two notes legato
37
:
"ordinary" ellipse
Teaching two notes legato
"ordinary" ellipse
.... ....
40 40
Exercise
XXII.
XXIII.
:
Section
Teaching three notes legato "ordinary" ellipse Teaching three notes legato "ordinary" ellipse ... ... Teaching five notes legato "ordinary" ellipse ... Teaching five notes legato "ordinary" ellipse Teaching seven notes legato "ordinary" ellipse Teaching seven notes legato "ordinary" ellipse Teaching eight notes legato "ordinary" ellipse ... Double-notes played to "ordinary" ellipse Five-note figures with wide intervals, played to
.
.
:
41
41
41
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
-
41
41 41
41
XXIX.
42
XXX.
XXXI.
XXXII.
XXXIII.
"ordinary" ellipse Permutations played to "ordinary" ellipse
44
48
to
Melody and accompaniment (same hand) played

"ordinary" ellipse
48 49
Compound
arm-roll
XXXIV.
Single-notes played to "reversed" ellipse
52
52
XXXV.
XXXVI.
XXXVII. XXXVIII.
Double-notes played to "reversed" ellipse
Making the Loop

Fitting Figure-eight to note-pattern
53 54
XXXIX.
XL.
XLI.
XLII.
XLIII.
Figure-eight fitted to one-octave scale Figure-eight fitted to one-octave scale
........
in
56 56
every
right
:
key,
with "C" fingering
which the Loop occurs in which the Loop occurs Two-octave scale in which the Loop occurs Two-octave scale in which the Loop occurs
One-octave scale One-octave scale
in
:
left
right
:
left
hand hand hand hand
57 58 59
59 60 64
64 65
XLIV.
XLV.
XLVI.
XLVII.
XLVIII.
Practice of curve-lines in the "grand" arpeggio Tension-exercise for the palm of the hand
...
Pressure against the fingers separately Knuckle-exercise
XLIX.
L.
LI.
LII.
Elbow-pressure on side of the body, with loose fore-arm For shoulder-tension For control of key during "repetition" Rapidity of Vibration with each finger separately . Arm-vibration with movement backward or forward
:
66
66 68
70
71
LHI.
Double-scale-staccato
in thirds in
72
72
LIV.
Double-scale-staccato
sixths
LV.
LV1.
Examples given
for practice of repeated
Octaves
73 74
Innervating muscles of upper-arm and shoulder
...
VI
Exercise
LVII.
LVIII.
Section
Hand-tension test Hand-tension test with arm-swing Hand-tension test with arm-swing Hand-tension test with arm-swing Hand-tension test with arm-swing Tension Exercise
76
:
octave-span
...
. .
76
76 76 76 76
77
77
LIX.
LX.
LXI.
span of sixths span of thirds span of fourths
LXH,
LXIII.
LXIV.
LXV.
LXVI.
LXVII.
Change Change Change
of tension of
of tension of
one finger two fingers

arm-swing
of tension coupled with
77
78 78
Alteration of wrist-angle while playing
Glissando
LXVHI. LXIX.
Swaying up-and-down motion of wrist under Tension 79 Rotary-action and revolving movement during tension 79
Wrist-curves during octave-playing
LXX.
LXXI.
80
LXXH.
LXXIII.
white-key octave-passage Sequential white-key note-patterns in octaves Sequential white-key note-patterns in octaves
Key-pathway
for
.... ....
82 83
83
LXXIV.
LXXV.
LXXVI.
LXXVII.
LXXVIH.
LXX IX.
LXXX.
Rapid change of wrist-level Arpeggios in octaves hands separately Arpeggios in octaves hands separately Arpeggios in octaves contrary-motion Arpeggios in octaves parallel-motion Arpeggios in octaves: parallel-motion
: : : :
83
84
84
-84
84 84
The Loop applied to double-scale in thirds 87 LXXXI. Upper row of notes (3rd and 4th fingers) in double-scale 87 LXXXII. Mixed single and double-notes (R. H.) in double-scale 87 LXXXIII. Upper row of notes (3rd and 5th fingers) double-scale
in
thirds
87
of
LXXXIV.
Lower row
LXXXV.
notes (3rd and 4th, and 3rd and 5th 87 double-scale in thirds fingers) 87 Double-scale with varied accentuation both ha ids
:
.
LXXX VI.
LXXXVII.
LXXXVIII.
Independence Exercise, with dissimilar "throws" of the arm 87 Lower row R. H. descending, a-.ul upper row L. H. 88 ascending Lower row R. H. descending, mixed; and upper r:w 88 L. H. ascending, mixed
Double-scale
in thirds
LXXXIX.
(mixed) for R. H.
witii
varied
accentuation, descending
8S
Vfi
Exercise
XC.
XCI.
XCII.
XCIII.
Section
Double-scale
in
thirds (mixed)
for
L.
H. with
varied
accentuation, ascending Three-octave double-scale in thirds, both hands Three-octave double-scale in sixths, both hands
88
... ...
89 89
XCIV.
Fingering for applied passages in thirds Shaking-exercise for the arm free
:
89
90
XCV.
XCVI.
XCVIJ.
XCVIII.
Shaking-exercise for the arm
5th finger fixed
....
90
XCIX.
C.
Shaking exercise for the arm: 1st finger (thumb) fixed 90 Tremolo exercises in broken sixths and octaves ... 90 Tremolo exercises played with the arm-rolling-motion 90 Trill exercise (both keys white or both black) played
.
with rolling-motion
Trill exercise
R.
H
played
91
(both keys white or both black)

:
CI.
Trill exercise,
with rolling-motion L. H one white and with rolling-motion
91
one black key,
played
91
<H.
Trill exercise,
one white and one black key, played with tremolo-movement 91

.
.
CHAPTER
I.
INTRODUCTORY.
In the following
pages
have endeavoured
practical application to Piano-playing of the
show the principles of Armto
Rolling
movement,
and
muscular Tension.
During
the
last
twenty years these principles have been engaging the attention of many teachers of the Piano, and, in the case of some,
have been responsible for a re-modelling of their methods. This revival of interest in the study of the development
of
Piano-teaching has largely been brought about within that period by the publication of several notable contributions to
of the
the literature
subject.
Among
these,
the
treatises
of
Bandmann,
and Dr. Steinhausen
Breithaupt, Caland, Clark-Steiniger, Matthay, Raif, have perhaps done most to draw the
attention of teachers to the
need
of
art,
some reform
and
in
teaching
the technical department of their
to the necessity for
developing,
from the beginning,
the piano-playing of the
youngest pupil along lines which previously had been traversed
by the great players alone. The fact that there does exist a marked difference between the pianistic Results of, on the one hand, the traditional
teaching of most of the "schools," and
recognised.
performances of great artists, has And it has become evident

critics that this
on the other, of the become more and more

to the
keener
among
a
difference
of Result
arises
not
only from
difference in the degree of musical talent possessed, but also from a difference in the use made of the playing powers
belonging to the body. William Townsend, Modern
The
artist
uses
these
powers
to
Piano-Teaching.
their
full
extent,
;
and
in
accordance
with
the
dictates
of
physiological laws the school-man makes only partial use of them, and often in defiance of these laws. The great pianist is an expert in applied mechanics, as well as a gifted and
He so uses his physical powers in conjunction with the highly developed mechanism of the Piano as to bring out the instrument's greatest variety of Tone. He accordingly
trained musician.
consciously or unconsciously
at present in the "schools,"
rejects
much
of the technique
and he adopts taught similarly much that they ignore* This arises from his clearer perception He knows its wide range of of what the Arm is capable of. movement, and its dependence for motive power on the tension of the muscles lying on the back and chest. He uses the hand
and fingers passively, as
far as that is possible.
He has
discovered the value of the rolling-motion of upper-, and forearm, in- tone-production. And lastly, he regards the arm as a Whole, and consequently makes use of its adaptability for
being
swung,
at the shoulder,
from one part
of the
keyboard
to another.
All this,
when embodied
spoken
It
in piano-playing, creates
that difference in tone
of above.
And
it
has also a
side personal to the performer. ease while playing and, at the

;
performance the appearance of In the course of the following pages I will take the liberty of quoting occasionally from the writings of some of
the authors previously mentioned. It is earnestly hoped that the student
will not only read the directions given in the following pages for each of the Exercises, but will also, to the best of his ability, experiment
gives him the sensation of same time, it confers on his freedom from bodily constraint.
with them at the keyboard.
CHAPTER
II.
KEY-PROPERTIES,
SECTION
1.
Of all musical instruments the Piano would seem to be the one whose mechanism is least understood by those who devote themselves to its practice. Players on other instruments take a rational interest in the build and tone-producing capabilities peculiar to the class of which they make a special study. But the piano-student, in many cases, is content with knowing no
more about his instrument than that it has wires, hammers, keys, and pedals. And an intimate knowledge of the properties of that part of the piano which is for him the sole medium
of tone-production,
viz.
the
key,
is
too
often
conspicuously
absent.
even the most intiI do not contend that a knowledge mate -- of the inner mechanism of the piano and of the leverprinciple of its key will teach the student how to apply Energy But an appreciation of the fact correctly to the keyboard. that the piano-key is nothing more nor less than a Lever,
and must therefore be treated as such, is surely not too much to ask of anyone wh.o would interpret the works of the great composers. And yet nothing is more commonly met with than the type of pianist who has spent years in trying to master difficult compositions, and who, for the reason that, from the beginning of study, he has failed to understand the kind of work to be expected from the key-lever, is still unable to
produce tone
correctly.
1*
SECTION
It
2.
would seem
that the
key of the
piano
must possess
something mysterious
of
it
in its nature,
seeing
that a
is
so frequently met with, and can do so

the
wrong use much harm to

of
the student's tone-production. In his book Mr. Matthay illustrates the simplicity of
"The Act
Touch,"
key's
working
when he
e-saw. This comparison an excellent idea of the key's reciprocal up-and-down gives movement. The celerity of the upmovement of its near end
likens
its
action to that of a s e
may be proved
to the student if he will place a finger on the surface of any undepressed key and lightly jerk it down to low-level by very swiftly drawing the finger into the palm of
the hand.
level
to
The extremely quick
argues that at the far end overbalance the weight at its near
return of the key to its highthere must be weight sufficient
end
on
in
other
words,
its
that the' key-lever is heavily weighted
the far
is
side of
fulcrum.
To
hold
overbalance
the weight at
key down, therefore, end by means its far
to continue to
of
weight
from the arm.
SECTION
If
3.
of
experimental
is
tests
be
made
facts
the
resistance-power
elicited.
(By be here understood the key's power It will to push up against weight applied to its near end.) be found:
"resistance-power"
to
of
any one key,
some curious
may be
(1)
That the
least
power after
level,
(2)
of a
it
weight that can overcome the resistancekey is the weight which, if laid on the key has been pushed down to lowhold
it
will just
there and keep
it
from moving.
That a greater weight than that mentioned in test No. 1 may be laid on the surface of that same key when
at
of
high-level
still
without causing
it
to
show any
sign
being affected by the pressure of that weight.

greater weight than that mentioned in test
(3)
That a
No. 2
(4)
needed to start that key on its downward and that the rate of descent at which it starts, journey, will, if continued, produce no tone. That a still greater weight than that mentioned in test No. 3 is needed to make the same key descend at a
is
speed quick enough to produce tone of even

quantity.
ppp.
be
four
Let
it
be carefully noted that these
four
tests
must
the
made with the
same
key.
weights used
in
A comparison
tests
of the different
shows
that the least of these weights is all that is neces1
sary to merely h o
d a key down, and that the greatest is necessary to produce tone of even the smallest quantity. The resistance-power of the key has, in the above instances, been tested by means of still weight, the amount
of
which can be
is
exactly
stated.
But the
weight
used
in
piano-playing
almost invariably moving weight, conveyed
to
the keys by the player,
vibrating
motions.
heaviest keys is feeble be brought to bear on them by the player. In the following Section the employment of weight passing through a still hand
in either rolling, swinging, or And the resistance-power of even the when opposed to the weight that can
and arm
is
discussed.
SECTION
Mention has been made
after
it
4.
act of holding down a This holding-act, which (if key there be no staccato) follows immediately on the act of toneproduction, is for the student generally a difficult one to learn.
of
the
has been depressed.
If
the resistance of the piano-key
were much greater than
it
is,
the
correct
application
to
it
of
if
arm-weight would be an
a
easier task.
necessity for a considerable degree of continuous pressure in order to prevent the pedal from forcing the hand up is so palpable that a correct calculation of
just as
it
be kept
may down by the hand. The
This
be proved
pedal
of
the
piano
how much
is
pressure to use
is
easily
of energy to necessary to prevent its resistance from pushing the hand up, so it is a waste of energy, while holding any key at low-level, to allow the balanced arm to
would be a waste
made. Now, press on the pedal
with more force than
add
more pressure
than
will
just overcome
the
delicate
is
pushing-up power of the key.

overload
To add more
Test
1
than this
to
that
least
key.
The
the top
is
about
-- that will keep of the piano after that key has been pushed the least weight Sec. 3, Test 4 oz.
weight
:
Sec.
3,
down down
that
will
at
produce.a
is
ppp
tone
when
If
high level
about 3 oz.
key one proceeds from the top of
laid gently
on the same
the keyboard
keys, resistance.
they will
testing the resistance-power of the be found to gradually offer more and more Thus the A at the bottom of the keyboard after
downwards
being pushed to low-level needs a weight of not less than 2f oz. to keep it there, and one of 7 oz. is required to produce
tone from that key when laid gently on it at highThese experiments have been made with keys of the same piano. Of course the instruments of different makers show differences in this matter, as also do different instruments of the same maker. From the fact that the weight of the balanced arm passing a
ppp
level.
through the finger-tips can lean gently on the surface of the keys at high-level without depressing them, it is evident that,
in
order to hold
is
down
several keys, as:
%v
some pressure
needed
extra
to that
_/m
% g
^
|f
exerted by the
keys
the
at high-level.
arm and hand when merely resting on these The total ounce-weight necessary to keep
is
above keys at low-level cases. But, from the fact of

(resistance)
different
in
each of the three

the
this difference in the
power
of the keys
it
themselves,
of
is
student
to
pushing-up must
each key
not conclude that

calculate
will
be expected
him
consciously
or
.how much
extra pressure
needed
for
that has to
be kept depressed.
The balancing
weighing
faculty of the arm must be cultivated until its perception of the resistance of the key or keys becomes unerring. The calculation
is
then
In
left
to the
subconscious arm.
student
my book ''Balance of Arm" I how to cultivate the delicacy

for
have
of
tried to
show
the
muscular
of
perception
keys.
necessary
the
correct
holding-down
the
The
the
student's tacitly expressed belief when he held-down key, that such treatment acts in
overloads
some
beneficial
in
the already produced tone is well refuted by Matthay connection with his simile of the see-saw when he says that "the energy at our disposal must be applied before our
way on
"end
of the lever reaches the ground,
since
all
speed-making
"is impossible after that moment." Let the student assure himself of the fact that the only musical function possessed
by the key when held
at
low-level
after
tone-production
is
that of preventing the stoppage of tone by arresting the return of the damper to the string. (The "damper" is the small piece
of
mechanism which stops
the vibration
of
the string.)
The
will
key has also a controlling effect on the hammer, be afterwards referred to. (Sec. 9.)
which
SECTION
I
5.
have as yet mentioned only the overloading of the key.

is
But there
its
a possibility of
making another miscalculation
of
resistance-power, and of underestimating that, while holding
8
the key
on
to
it.
down in other words, of putting too little weight This fault occurs frequently when the arm and hand
:
are being taught the rolling-motion.
When
the
key
is
- -
so
speak
underloaded,
and become
is
it
at
tion of that condition.

slightly
The held-down key
once gives a visible indicais seen to move

that
less weight
first test
under the finger a proof it than that mentioned in being put upon
restless
my
and
(Sec. 3), namely, just sufficient to hold the key down, prevent it from moving. When the held-down key becomes
unsteady, it naturally is in the direction of a slight "rise" that the motion of the key is first noticed. The key's pushing-up
power has
evident
for the
that
dealt out to
moment asserted itself. an insufficient amount the key. The equilibrium of

and,
It
thus
becomes
is
of
weight
being
the
has
been disturbed,
consequently,
the
holding finger Balance is not
properly adjusted to the resistance of that key. itself then becomes the self-registering index of condition of the arm.
The
the
key
faulty
SECTION
For the cure
loading the key
of the practice
effected,
6.
-
of
both
faults
Overloading and Underin
a series of "hold-exercises," without toneof
production, must be practised.*
help to
tone-production is convince the student of several facts. They
"touch"
These, from that
which the disjunction
of
vitality;
would almost seem to possess its own; and that it seizes the of shirking work when allowed to do so. opportunity They also show him that the tendency of the arm to lose correct balance during this toneless practice is the same as that often experienced by him while working at passages in which,
that the piano-key that it has a will of
show him
with
*)
similar
arm-and-wrist
movements,
tone -production
Co., London.
is
See
"BALANCE OF ARM": Bosworth &
The mastery acquired in the former case will give present. him a quicker mastery in the latter. They also show him that
the piano-keyboard
may
legitimately be
used as a gymnastic
to
its
apparatus
pure
and simple,
without
reference
tone-
producing powers.
SECTION
7.
its
Besides the key's passive function
preventive action
on the damper, as well as on the hammer after tone-production - there remains to be considered its active function that of Mention has been the Hammer to strike the String. causing
:
already
made
(Sec. 2)
of the quick
up-movement
of the near
end
of the
key when
released
enough to hold it down. one ought always to be allowed to the key in piano-playing. But its rate of descent must be made to vary as the amount
of tone required varies.
suddenly from weight heavy This rate of ascent its natural
The slowest key-descent compatible

at
all
with the production of any sound

the fourth weight-test (Sec. 3). slowest descent is nevertheless
It
is
that
mentioned
that
in
will
be
noticed
one.
this
rapid
From
this
slowest (and yet rapid) descent necessary for ppp tone, keydescent proceeds, for an increasing degree of tone-power,
through a series of increasingly quick degrees of speed up to those most rapid ones necessary for the production of ff and
fff
the
tone.
An experiment made
of tone
with the key will
show
that
produced varies directly as the speed of key-descent varies. Let a series of finger-pushes be given to any key, with the lapse of a couple of seconds of time between
each push.
amount
Begin with a
push, and gradually increase
the speed of each one. It will be found that as the push increases in speed the tone increases in volume in other words, the loudest tone is produced in the shortest time.
:
10
SECTION
But
key
to obtain a clear
its
8.
influence on the
conception of the chief duty of the hammer one must look inside
the piano,
and note the
act
performed by the hammer

this
in tone-
production.
To anyone
blow
will
seeing
for
the
first
time,
the
Rapidity of the
probably be unexpected. The hammer,
while striking, both before and after the moment of its contact with the string, is visible only as a blurred outline. A close scrutiny will enable the observer to notice a faint "shadow"
in the
of the string at the instant of tonethe tone be pianissimo. But if a production, provided - loud tone the consequence of a very rapid down-push -
neighbourhood
is
produced,
then
the actual
moment
the
of
impact
sees
is
too short-
lived to permit of visible

at
proof.
tone,
At the
eye
string.
same instant
the
act
which the ear hears the

in
hammer
of
resting at a short distance
from the
is,
The
the
hammer
tone-production
in
every case,
9.
momentary.
SECTION
It
said in Sec. 4 that the only duty disthe held-down key after tone-production is the charged by But there is also a mechanical prevention of tone-stoppage.
was
musical
duty which
from
was
the
discharges, namely, that of preventing the hammer to the position it occupied before the key falling After the hammer has delivered its blow on depressed.
it
back
string,
it
instantaneously
fixed, at
remains there,
falls back a short distance and what may be called its "half-position,"
This arrest of the as long as the key is held at low-level. hammer in its fall-back from the string is the control mentioned
at
the
end
of
Sec. 4.
It
is
intricate
inner
mechanism
indirectly
accomplished directly by the lying between the key and the
hammer, and only
for him, while putting or keeping a key
by the player. It is not possible down, to be muscularly
11
conscious of
key.
this
is
special controlling
power possessed by
while
the
And
it
equally impossible for him,
holding
a key
down,
to
be conscious,
except by means of his sense
of hearing, that the
key
is
controlling the
of
damper mechanism.
examination of the
is
What he has been made aware

hammer-blow
is,
by
it
his
that the act of tone-production

that
is
of the
in
most
the
MOMENTARY
fraction
of
duration
accomplished
is
a second.
in
This
consideration
of
the
to
utmost
con-
importance
building up a technique adapted struction of the Piano.
the
CHAPTER
III.
APPLICATION OF ENERGY TO THE KEYBOARD,

SECTION
10.
Seeing that Momentariness of tone-production demonstrated to be an inherent quality of the piano,
has
it
been
becomes
the duty of the pianist to apply the energy at his disposal in a manner befitting this quality. His act at the instant of tone-
production must also be
momentary.
That
is
he must,
the
for the production of tone of a certain
quantity,
depress
key
at
same
a certain speed, and then, instantaneously - - at the moment if the key has to be kept down, apply to it
the arm's balanced weight in just sufficient amount to prevent the key from moving (Sec. 4, 5) ; and the instant at which The this physical change takes place is the tone-moment.
activity
which
produces tone
to the lesser activity
gives place at this instant the minor passivity of Sec. 11 -- which
holds the
tone.
key down and prevents the stoppage of The degree of speed needed for the key-push is
regulated by the volume of tone required, and the amount of
weight necessary to prevent the key when kept at low-level, from moving, is calculated by the sensitiveness of the arm's balance. Now, 'just as the time spent by the hammer in executing its blow on the string has been proved to be, in
the
the
case
of
ff,
invisibly
in
short,
so
tone
the
time
for
occupied
the
short.
by
brain-impulse
purpose be considered
may producing to be inconceivably
pianist's
The
13
measurement
of
of the
duration of this Impulse

but,
lies
within
the
province of the physiologist;

the
for the
correct application
Impulse
to
the
key,
no
physiological
knowledge
is
required by
the pianist.
SECTION
11.
For a clear comprehension of the diverse energies applicable to the piano-key, it may be well here to tabulate them.
ACTIVITIES.
0)
Major
The tone-producing
Impulse.
(C)
(2)
Minor
(A) Rolling (B) Swinging
Arm
motions.
Vibrating
PASSIVITIES.
(3)
Major
Weight between
(Sec. 15)
(4)
Minor.
of
arm balanced
shoulder
;
and
latter
finger-tips
the
Arm-Weight
the
is
resting
on surface
of keys
key
held
applied to while the latter
at
high-level.
Weight
the fingers.
The
lies in
at
low-level.
feeling of
Some
explanation of the terms used in the above Table

help the student. is to be understood
as
the
may perhaps
"Impulse"
sent through the
arm which
delivers to the
speed sufficient to produce tone. the key which produces no tone, may, for the pianist's purpose, be considered as non-impulsive. Every impulse is to be
Spark of energy key a push at a Any push given to
thought of as more short-lived than the hammer-blow is rapid. Therefore, the inclination on the student's part to apply any
14
further impulsive force to the key be resisted (Sec. 4 and 8).
after tone-production must

arm
is
The ROLLING motion

of all its parts
of the to
a combined action
from shoulder
finger-tips,
while
the
latter
the keys. This combined action is seen focussed in curvilinear motions at the wrist, and these are dependent on
are
on
the
movements
of the
upper and lower arm,

its
and the
hand.
The
this
whole
arm, by
action.
continuous "flow," gives evidence of
combined
The SWINGING movement of the arm is a rise-and-fall from the shoulder. This arm-movement carries the hand
from one part
of the
keyboard
to another,
lift-up,
along a curvilinear
path in the air, after either a simple shove-off from the keyboard.
or after an impulsive
a rapid trembling quivering or shaking movement, possible only when the whole limb, from shoulder to finger-tips, is working under a fairly
is
The VIBRATING motion
of the
arm
high state of muscular tension.
SECTION
The
Activities
;
12.
above table is divided into two main portions: and Passivities and each of these again into Major and Minor. They are numbered for convenience of reference.
table
showing when they are employed

is
:
in
both teaching
and playing
are classified
Firstly
here given for
the
student's
guidance.
They
Those which may be practised which may be combined with

-
singly,
and those
others.
Secondly
Those which may be practised tonelessly, and those which include tone-production. Those which may be practised apart from the keyboard, and those which need key-resistance
to teach correct distribution
Thirdly
of
arm-weight.
15
The Singles are all toneless, and are practised both apart from and with the help of the keyboard. The Combines are partly toneless, and partly tone-producing, and they
all
need the help
of the keyboard.
TABLE.
PRACTICE
1)
without
TONE.
Singles.
16
25) No.
17
No. 16 Combination of
elliptical
(or circular)
motion of wrist
with arm-vibration, the fingers on silently depressed keys.
No. 17 Combination of
elliptical
(or
circular)
motion
of wrist
with arm-vibration, some fingers on undepressed and others of the same hand on depressed keys.
No. 18
Same
Is
as given in Ex. VI., Sec. 20.

in Ex.
LII.
No. 19 Given
and
LIII.
No. 20
pendent finger-action with
the simplest form of finger-exercise teaching indestill arm: see Sec. 21.
in Ex.
No. 21 Given
No. 22
LXX. and LXXI.

This exercise,
in
addition to
touched
(undepressed)
by
2nd
No. 23
finger.
in
This exercise,
touched
addition to
(undepressed)
by
2nd
No. 24
./
finger.
r^T^
1 2 3
4:
3 2
Gives sample of exer-
**^
-^
l3
cise.
No 25
'
"
No. 26
p-
U-=JJ
Gives sample
of exercise.
This
in
addition to 4th finger
1232
No. 27
resting on
F undepressed.
o 2nd, 3rd, and 4th

fingers resting
on D,
E,
and
2
F,
i_
William Townsend, Modern
Piano-Teaching.
undepressed.
18
No. 28
an "ordinary" ellipse EEli (Sec. 36) with arm-vibration added, and with 4th and 5th Played
to
fingers
on undepressed keys
in
F and G.
study in
No. 29 Example found
Chopin's Octave
minor,
Op. 25.
No. 30
Same
on
as No. 28 above, except that the 5th finger is kept depressed on G, while the 4th is undepressed
F.
CHAPTER
IV.
PASSIVITY,
SECTION
In Sec.
sivity.
13.
10,
11,
and
12,
use was
made
its
of the
term Pas- -
This state of the arm
might, at first thought,

all
be supposed
a state
to
in
embody an
which the
absolute relaxing of
energies
muscular feeling is similar to that which it when allowed to hang limp and motionless by the experiences But in this latter wholly inert and uncontrolled condition side. it is muscularly incapable of overcoming effectively the resistance of the keys, and is therefore unfitted for piano-playing.
passivity mentioned
than that of the hanging arm is the majorin Sec. 11. This latter is the most passive of arm condition or, in other words, the least active one is used in teaching the student employed on the keyboard. It
passivity
less
to get rid of superfluous
muscular
he
activity
to eliminate the
Unnecessary, succeed in accomplishing

ease,
and give the Necessary a

this,
fair
chance.
If
he
will
have acquired
agility,
and a true piano-touch; see beginning
of Sec. 21.
SECTION
To make
condition
of
14.
the student sure of the difference

the
entirely
between the
major-passivity,
passive arm and the condition of him, while sitting at the piano, drop his arm by his side, and then give it, from the shoulder, a swinging impulse forwards. Let him then allow it to continue swinging
let
backwards and forwards,
in
one piece,
the
until
it
comes
from
to rest.
rising, 2*
Then
let
him,
while
keeping
shoulder
20
slowly
lift
the
whole arm,
combining
in
this "lift" a
gradual
forward movement of the upper-arm with a gradual u pw a r d bending-at-the-elbow movement of the fore-arm. During
these
that
movements
is,
wrist.
hand and fingers remain entirely passive: the arm-rise, droop more and more at the they, during Let the student continue this slow rise until the tips
the
and fourth fingers are hanging about an inch above key-level. (When they have reached this height the wrist itself will be about eight or nine inches above keyAfter suspending the hand over the keys for a second level.) or two the fingers still drooping let the student very
of the third
-
gradually lower the arm until the tips of the third and fourth n fingers just touch the surface of the keys
without
depressing
them.
the
Let him then
stop
in
j-^-
movement and keep

this
hand suspended
to
"
pose
at this height for
a second or two,
while touching the two keys

on them.
at this
taking care put no weight
Let him then begin to lower the wrist gradually,
to
drop
same instant allowing the arm-weight suddenly through the two touching
the
finger-tips.
If this dropping-down of the weight is done two fingers will bend slightly. As the wrist correctly, to descend slowly, the thumb and the second and continues on the surface of the keys, fifth finger-tips will come to rest
all
five
fingers
-
now
sharing
the
arm's
weight.
Immediately
second, and fifth fingers have come to rest on their keys the latter still u n d e p r e s s e d the wrist will reach a point at which the line of the back of the hand and that of the fore-arm make one straight line. Let the student here stop further downward movement. The wrist has now arrived at a "middle point" beyond which it would gradually descend if it were not prevented from doing so. And to cause it to remain at this middle-point it must be
after the first,
21
gently held by will-power
something active. The motionless

is
and
apparently passive arm

activity gives to the
thus
active
in
sense.
This mild
whole limb a "tone" and balance,
furnishing a basis from which to start the cultivation of tonementioned production. This is the state of major-passivity in Sec. 13 a state in which the arm is balanced between
shoulder and finger
tips,
while the latter rest or
on the surface
of
the
keys
at
high-level.
lean gently The feeling of
Weight
lies
in
the fingers.
SECTION
In Sec. 4,
5,
15.
student what
passive
-
weight
there
is
is
and 6, I have tried to make clear to the meant by the condition of arm termed Minorthat condition in which the arm remains while its In this minor-passive applied to a held-down key.
is
condition of
arm
there
is
more
of
the
active
element than
in the
met and
major-passive, seeing that key-resistance is now has to be overcome. If the amount of that resistance
be calculated exactly, there is, when the finger holds a key down, no visible expenditure of energy. And when the arm has undergone a thorough training in this matter, the
player has very little muscular consciousness of the act of holding down a key or keys. It may seem anomalous that a condition of arm which
But this contains something active should be called passive. term has been given in order that the student may draw a distinction between those conditions in which action is muscularly and also that he invisible and those in which it is visible
;
may,
by analysis,
be able to discover the causes of faults

faults.
in
his technique,
and cure these
CHAPTER
V.
OLD AND NEW METHODS, ARM MOVEMENTS.

SECTION
A
16.
short survey may here be taken of some of the movements possible for the various portions of the arm: that is, of those movements which are required in Piano-playing. Some exercises will also be given for strengthening the muscles of the back, chest, and shoulders.
The modern study

brought
into
of the
science
of
piano-teaching
of
has
prominence
the
importance
the
part which
these powerful muscles play during any adequate performance of the works of the great masters. It is the duty of the "modern" student to train himself to be able to use, at any
moment, any portion of his organism wards the creation of that fusion of
the
that can contribute to(1) his
Conception of
of
composer's
music with
(2)
the
technical Expression
that conception necessary for reproductive art.
Between the
rate of the development, during the previous
or of piano-manufacture and that of century, the development of the art of piano-teaching, there exists a
of piano-playing
want of congruity. The appearance of Liszt and Chopin in the world of music early in the nineteenth century, and the revelation of the resources of the instrument which their compositions and their piano-playing brought about, led
strange
to a
development of the science of piano-construction. Pianomaking kept pace with music-making; and the further development
23
handed on through and Godowski, has been Schumann, Henselt, Brahms, Tausig, accompanied by a corresponding development of the piano itself, as exemplified in the makes of Broadwood, Erard, Bechof the
technique of writing for the piano,
Steinway, Bliithner, etc. while the average technical skill of players has continued to increase, responding more and more to the destein,
But
mands
the
laid
upon
it
by the compositions of the great masters,

of
exact
science
the
application
At the time
of
the
player's
physical powers a corresponding advance.
to the
mechanism
of the piano
has not made
when composers' works

and pianos were being tone, and heavier in
were becoming more
difficult to execute,
made of larger size, more powerful in touch, teaching-science, for the conquering of mechanical difficulties, formulated technical methods which, insisting on the
active
finger-stroke and hand-stroke, endeavoured as as possible by thus isolating the Hand from the upper portions of the arm to keep the latter fixed, thereby depending for the production of tone oh the weaker muscles of the playing organism, instead of on the stronger. These restrictive measures were accompanied by a radical mistake in the application of energy to the Key, consequent on
much
the persistent ignoring of its Lever-principle. The requirements of the piano-key were disregarded and as a natural result it
;
was subjected
debarred
it
to
an arbitrary and unscientific treatment which

fulfilling the
from correctly
function
for
which
it
was designed.
SECTION
By various
learner
agility,
- -
17.
it
pianistic law-givers
was decreed
muscular
that
the
for
the
purpose
of
acquiring
strength,
and "equality"
of finger
should hit, beat, strike
the key.
And
this
grim treatment has been faithfully meted
24
to it by thousands of piano-students during the past hundred years. But the key has been not the only sufferer. It has had its revenge in the many cases of sprained wrists and lamed arms with which it has been able to repay the
out
student for
some
of the indignities
is
And
to
the stroke-treatment
not the only
heaped upon it. form
of
misuse
which the key has been subjected. It has suffered also from the exaggerated pressure (overloading) put upon it while
lying at
low-level
is
after
to
the
finger-stroke.
in
This species of
of
treatment
referred
of
by Matthay
as
"The Act
Touch"
while
In a a "speed-tool." speaking piano-key quaint metaphor he says, "We must not press that tool upon its bed" that is, when it is at low-level - - "since the key-
the
beds are not

squeezed."
like
ripe fruit out of
Friedrich
Wieck
also,
which sound-juice can be in his book "Piano and
Singing," in warning the student against the same treatment of the key, says "Do not let yourselves be laughed at by every
From this remark it is to be presumed that in those days every apprentice knew more than some of the players about the nature of the piano-key, and also could appreciate the humour of the situation. Wieck's book was published as long ago as the year 1853, and was perhaps the first that was wrjtten having a strongly polemical character. From that time up to the present there have appeared
piano-maker's apprentice."
many
it
treatises dealing with the subject of
piano-method
but
only within the last two decades that the need of some reform in the teaching of piano-technique has been much
is
discussed.
This has been brought about chiefly

the
in
Germany,
and
through
written
Deppe.
left
little
publication there of a number of works mostly by the pupils of the Berlin teacher Ludwig The latter (18281890), a man of reforming tendencies,
in writing
to
explain
his
ideas
on the
subject
of
piano-teaching.
But a general estimate
of these
and
of
the
25
development arising from them may be gathered from
practical
the writings of his pupils, Clark-Steiniger, Fay, Caland, Klose, In connection with these works Sochting, and Bandmann.
those of R. M. Breithaupt should
also
be
carefully
studied.
The controversy going on

methods
is
at
present concerning old and
new
one
of the results of
Deppe's teaching.
18.
SECTION
In order that the student,
may
learn
to
use
correctly
all
those movements
compositions
in
necessary for a performance of the finest the most musical manner, it is not essential
that he should be versed in physiological lore.
At
the
the
same
time, to obtain even an elementary knowledge of the peculiar
structure of the
arm and wrist

fore-arm
- -
especially
of
working
to help
of the
will
do him no harm,
full
complex and ought

advantage
the
him
to take
for the sake of his art
of the
is
liberal
capacity for
movement with which

if
body
endowed.
This knowledge
may be had
the student will look into
Elementary Physiology," of "Motion and Locomotion." chapter treating

application to
Huxley's "Lessons
in
and study the
The
there
practical
piano-playing of the
knowledge
obtained
should lead to his giving free play to the fore-arm's power To quote from the of supinating and pronating the hand. chapter mentioned above: "If the elbow and fore-arm, as
far as the wrist, are
is
made
to rest
upon a
table,
and the elbow
kept firmly fixed, the hand can nevertheless be freely rotated so that either the palm, or the back, is turned directly upwards.
the
When
s u
palm
i
is
turned
upwards, the
p
r
attitude
t
i
is
(It
called
will
n a
o n
when
the back,
o n a
is
o n."
in
is
be
the
noted that while the

left
Supine
is
hand
of the violinist
used,
position the
that
which the
that
of
Prone
pianist.)
26
When
the term
with piano-playing,
the fact that the
it
"prone position" is used in connection in a broad sense, is meant to express,
palm of the hand faces downwards. It must, not be forgotten that this term implies neither such absolute nor such continuous parallelism between the palm of
however,
the
in
hand and the plane surface of the keys as that implied Huxley's illustration, where the palm is stationary,
presumably,
flat.
to
and,
Many
will
recollect the
era in the
teaching of the piano
beginners when
the Penny,
placed
on the back
of the
indication of the
hand, played an important part as an hand's good behaviour - - the fall of the
unsteadiness, proving to the teacher's satismanner of "'holding the hand" was
penny, or even
It
its
faction that the pupil's

faulty.
would seem, therefore, that the penny's deportment was a matter of more consideration than the muscular Condition In Sec. 21, par. 1, it is shown that stillness of of the arm. hand and correct muscular condition may co-exist.
SECTION
The
arm
the
is
19.
greatest range of Rotary action of which the capable may be seen in the following exercises.
I.
fore-
Ex.
Let the student not too

tightly
make
a "fist" with both hands -
fingers
doubled
up
- -
and then extend

fingers
- -
the index (2nd) finger
of
both.
Place
these
held
unbent
as far as nearly half their length on the two keys
and
Keeping them on these two held-
keys, bring the elbows to the sides, time turn the hands round till the palms -
down
and
-
at
the
same
partly
hidden by
the closed-in fingers - - face upwards. Reverse now the rotary action until the backs of the hands face each other, keeping the shoulders down, and at the same
time extending the elbows out from the body.
With the "flat"
27
of the fingers
on the keys repeat
this rotation
many
as
times for
well as
the sake of the valuable exercise of the fore-arm

of the shoulder
Lastly,
and upper-arm muscles.
the
tips
of the
perform this same rotary action resting now only second fingers on the held-down keys, and
In
holding the wrists high.
each rotation remember
to
bring
the elbows close to the body. Practise this exercise with each of the remaining pairs of
similar fingers down the same
-
both thirds,
both fourths,
etc.
holding
two keys.
Ex.
these
II.
Place the thumbs on the same

turn the
to
down and
trying
fingers
of
thumbs,
make
the tips of
r-Q
two keys, hold hands over the the third fingers meet as
both
.
nearly as possible over the note
[ffry
Turn
the
elbows
out from the body while so doing.

Still
holding
down
the thumbs, return to the
first
position,
bring the elbows close to the body, and, taking the fingers off the keys, twist the fore-arms so that all four fingers pass under the thumbs. Try to make the tips
held-down
=
of the third fingers
meet as nearly as possible in

.
front of
are
the note |:fe=

facing upwards.
The palms
of
the
hands
now
If these two exercises are practised carefully they will help the student to overcome the difficulties of the Loop, to
be mentioned later on See Chap. XII. He must work at them very gently, taking care, in his attempts at stretch,
:
to regulate
it
according to the length of his
fingers
and the
natural flexibility of his wrists.
These exercises show the two extremes

the peculiar
structure
of
of
pose to which
also
the
fore-arm,
helped
by the
28
rotation of the upper-arm, can carry the hand. But, in pianoplaying, only a small fraction of this wide range is
And
the question
of
how much
or
how
ought to be used for each passage is be settled by the player himself. The
can be given for his guidance
physical action correct amount.
that
will
is
necessary. rotary action an individual matter, to

little
only
general rule that

of
that the
least amount
tone
is
produce
the
desired
the
SECTION
One
or
20.
two exercises
for strengthening the
muscles of the
upper portion of the body are here given.
Ex. III. Stand erect, with the chest well head up. The arms hanging easily, place the
against the outer side of the thighs. up and down twenty or thirty times,
Lift
out,
and the
palms
open
the shoulders straight keeping the elbow-joint

:
and all the joints of the hands gently fixed that is, without motion in themselves. Breathe naturally, keep the head still, and do not let the chest move from its "out" position. While
practising this up-and-down shoulder movement (one of not more than two or three inches in range) do not let the body become rigid.
Ex. IV. Standing in the same attitude, try to bring both shoulders round to the front, that is, try to make them approach
this
to the back. Repeat twenty or thirty times. Do not let the open palms leave the thighs, but allow them to be carried round a little to the
each other,
and then carry them round
front
of
and then a little to the back along with the movement the arms and shoulders. Keep the chest from falling "in,"
front.
especially
when both shoulders are being brought to the Breathe naturally, and do not hoist the shoulders.
29
Ex.
V.
front of the body,
Lightly interlock the fingers of both the elbows touching the sides.
hands
in
Move
the
hands round from one side to the other, keeping the elbows and fore-arms constantly in contact with the body.
During
this
movement
to
and
fro,
If
the
body
itself
allowed to oscillate nor rotate.
this exercise is
must not be done correctly,
there will be a continual alteration
of the angle
made by
the
fore-arm and the upper-arm.
Keep
the chest out, the shoulders
down, and the head up.
Ex. VI.
the piano,
is
The
following
exercise,
done while
sitting
at
for the practice of

right
arm-swing.
hand for the octave stretch - - that is, keeping the distance between the tip of the thumb and that of the fifth finger the same as lies between any two keys an octave apart on the piano. Bend the nail-phalanx of the thumb
the
- that is, with the tip pointing towards the the tension of the hand so that, during the armAdjust swing, the distance between the two finger-tips remains unaltered. This "fixation" must at the same time be preserved with the
Pose
slightly
inwards
hand.
least possible
muscular
rigidity of
hand.
(A
A)
of the
keyboard,
and,
keeping the
Play the top octave shoulders down,
immediately swing the arm three octaves

-
down
to
i
also
without stop back to Swing immediately and repeat this swinging-action uninterruptedly
the top octave, till the shoulder
muscles are
:
slightly tired.
This
exercise
may be done
tonelessly that is, without depressing the piano keys landing each time lightly on the surface of the ivory. While the arm is swinging in the air do not allow the hand itself to droop
at the wrist.
The path
"in the air" described
by the
hand
in
during the swing is that of a Curve. this curve is reached when the hand
The
is
highest
point
equidistant from
the
30
limit-octaves, or just over the notes
=Sp
l?r
At this point
hand ought to be about 6 inches above the level of the keys. The action of the arm during the swing is not a shoulderaction alone the elbow also participates. The fore- and upperarm open out - - unbend as the hand approaches the outer extremities of the keyboard, and close in as it approaches the centre. For some remarks on the alteration of the angle at the outer edge of the wrist during the swing of the arm see
the
:
Sec. 78.
A
The
corresponding exercise for the
left
arm must be
be the
:
practised.
limit-octaves of the
arm-swing
will
lowest
A-A
of the
keyboard, and the notes
(m
a swing of three
The conditions for the left-arm-swing are the as those given above for the right arm.
octaves.
same
Ex. VII.
muscles of the
The
following exercise
back,
is
for strengthening the

Sitting
at
chest,
and upper-arm.
the m j
piano, place the open palms on the keys
^~j*~
be used
and
and
in
jfc
pressing the latter
them
is
there.
down tonelessly to The amount of pressure

that will,
3,
the
lightest
:
holding doing so with the arm balanced, hold the

low-level,
to
keys down: Sec.
Count slowly 1, and, - - 2, and 3, and giving the time of about a second to each complete beat. During the first beat, that is, from 1 to 2, increase and decrease the pressure on the held-down keys, returning to the original minimum of pressure at beat 2, and maintaining this least degree of pressure during beat 2 and 3. At beat 1 Care must betaken not to overthe process. repeat
Test
1.
strain the arms and hands during the crescendo
31
pressure at beat 1. The force exerted must never become extreme.

of the
got by placing against the underneath side of the front part of the keyboard, just underneath these same The pressure is exercised now previously mentioned keys.
the
A second form
- -
of this
exercise
may be
open palms
supinated
in
an upward direction, and under the same rhythmic conditions. Breathe regularly and naturally during these two forms of the exercise. The shoulders must not be allowed to rise.
CHAPTER
VI.
ARM-ROLLING MOTION,
SECTION
The
21.
major-activity, that is, the impulsive push necessary for tone-production, I have already tried to teach in connection
arm, and with inhibition of unnecessary movement In the same treatise, Chap. IX. and X., I have tried to teach the passivities minor and major in combination
with a
still
in the hand*).
with curvilinear movements of the wrist and the rolling-motion of the whole arm: that is, with mi nor- activity. In the present
work
go a step forward, and try to teach the rolling-motion in combination with the major-activity: namely, tone-production; in other words, a combination of the two For many illuminative hints on this subject I have activities. to thank R. M. Breithaupfs interesting book "Die nattirliche
I
of the
arm
Klaviertechnik".**)
The piano
student
would do well
to
study
this
work
carefully.
For a
physiologically
reasoned
advocacy
let
of the arm-rolling motion, as well as for a powerful
refutation of the "finger-stroke" and active-wrist method, the student consult Dr. Steinhausen's "Klaviertechnik".***)
In this valuable contribution
in
which physiological science

-
is
brought to the aid of piano-teaching

*)
the
author shows
**) Breithaupt
Balance of Arm. Bosworth & Co. London, 1903. Die naturliche Klaviertechnik, 2nd Edition.
Kahnt.
Leipzig, 1905. Uber die physiologischen Fehler und die ***) Dr. F. A. Steinhausen. Umgestaltung der Klaviertechnik. Breitkopf & Hartel. Leipzig, 1905.
33
a mistake to consider the various joints used in piano-- as knuckles, wrist, etc. naturally stiff. He
that
it
is
-
playing
shows
is
that they are not "born" so: indeed, that the opposite and that the student, in training himself, must " not set out with the idea that he must improve" his joints
the case;
by making them loose and
flexible,
but
of
rather with the idea
muscles required for that the the execution of any passage must not be hampered in their work by the interference of unnecessary and disturbing muscleaction.
of
special combination
To teach comparative Passivity is to teach this power unconscious selection and rejection. (See end of Sec. 25.)
SECTION
the student
22.
But before beginning the study of the arm-rolling-motion must thoroughly master the art of loading the key (Sec. 4, 5, and 6); otherwise, no progress can be made. If he is unable to calculate the amount of weight required for each key's resistance while practising with a still and
the
balanced arm,
culation
still
rolling-motion will disturb this calin
more.
And
any
legato
passage, to transfer
a rolling weight correctly from finger to finger is impossible which the transference is made is resting if the finger on its key either too heavily or too lightly, seeing that, in
from
either case, the roll of the
arm would be disturbed.
Preparatory
therefore to the practice of Rolling-motion plus Tone-productoneless rolling tion, the student must perfect himself in the
indicated in Nos.
1,
4,
9,
and 10
in the
Table given
in Sec. 12.
SECTION
A
its
23.
Rolling Motion and of the - derivable from physical
short account of the

- -
Arm
and
benefits
musical,
adoption
players
who
mental, here given for deliberation by have as yet not consciously used it.
may be
those
3
Piano-Teaching.
34
1) The Rolling-motion of the arm is the combination of a selection from the range of movement possible for each of
its
separate portions
is
upper-arm, lower-arm, and hand.

special
The
chief visible result of the united action of these
local move-
the wrist.
of curve-lines by from the rotary-action as originate partly well as from the gentle bending and unbending of the forearm, and partly from the rotary-action and the movement backwards, forwards, and sideways, of the upper-arm.
ments
a continuous
delineation
These
2) In the rolling-motion the unequal

five fingers -
strength
if
of
the
an inequality
irremovable
seeing
that,
from them* form

of
becomes
of
little
moment,
the
the
each finger will be brought over its key at the proper instant and at the angle most favourable for the transference of the necessary weight; Sec. 1'.' This correct distribution of weight at the correct
wrist's curve-line
be correctly calculated,
moment
3)
is
the so-called ''equalising" of the fingers. the
In
rolling-motion
the
of
unequal
length
In
of
the
fingers facilitates Distribution
arm-weight through the wrist

its
while the
latter is travelling
over
curve-courses.
passage-
work,
the arm,
rolling the
the fingers from key to which the spokes of a revolving wheel are brought successively to bear directly on the ground.** " lift4) The rolling-motion does away with the isolated
hand along key, somewhat
the keyboard, carries after the manner in
"
up" action
of the fingers at the knuckles,
and
hand.
also with the

It
lift-back-from-the-wrist"
action
of
the
does
not
the fingers look like claws, and the hands like flippers, seeing that it compels the greatest possible passivity of the muscles which induce these phenomena. "The rolling-motion
*) Steinhausen, Par. 56.
make
**) Steinhausen, Par. 75.
35
not only
makes up
in
of the fingers,
advantages
any active raising presents unexpected and surprising For the execution of a the saving of labour.
for the
want
of
but also
diatonic passage
is,
like the
following ~7"
5
*~~*
1
~ -
that
nine cases of tone-production - - formerly 18 consciously " art-movements" of the fingers were needed: a liftacquired and a down-stroke for each finger. The same 9 notes up
up and one down, making one elliptical figure described by the wrist. Thus, a great economy in mental and physical energy, and a
may be played
with
wo
rolling-motions,
one
still
greater in time,
is
exercised,
seeing that this
natural
become
movement needs no
practice
when once
the player has
master of the art of weight-distribution."*

5) The rolling-motion is directly suited to the leverIt does n o t treat the key as the nature of the piano-key. does the wire, nor as a smith the iron on his piano-hammer
anvil,
It
nor as a clapper the
does
not
It
a blow.
latter
bell, nor as a batsman the ball. on the key by means of a tap, a stroke, or rolls weight on to the key, and pushes the
act
down.
6) The rolling-motion, by substituting the Push, precludes the Stroke-action of the finger, and thereby furthers legato-playing.
In
a passage
such
as
the
following:
the rolling-motion of the arm, by instead of striking them down, alleviates, as
pushing
the keys
down
as possible, the percussion-nature of the piano's tone-production. It thus the finest legato possible from the piano. The produces
much
percussion-nature of the hammer-action

*)
is
the
cause of the
Leipzig,
Bandmann.
"Die Gewichtstechnik des

1907.
Klavierspiels."
Breitkopf
&
Hartel.
36
on -legato of the instrument. A proof of this non-enduring characteristic may be had if the following chords
characteristic n
be played:
Let the
first
chord be
Ped.ff
played fortissimo, and the second (with the left hand) be played piano, at the rhythmic distance of one crotchet from the first chord. Try to make the tone produced by the
second chord
heard from the
no
louder
one.
than
the
remains
space second chord
of
the
tone
first
In the short
of time that
-
has
elapsed- between the first and the time of the crotchet rest -
the
-
it
will
namely, be found that the tone
will
remaining over from the first chord (sustained by the pedal) probably be so soft as to compel the player to make the second chord pianissimo in order to fulfil the above
condition.
The illusory
If
nature of the tone of the instrument
is
thus proved.
omitted,
it still
the first chord be played and the second the ear, while listening to the tone, imagines that
hears a continued
fortissimo. That
this is a delusion,
is
and
that the ear only "r
em embers"
the fortissimo tone,
proved by the difficulty the player has in producing, in the second chord, tone soft enough to do no more than equal that which remains over from the first. It is thus proved that the tone of any held note immediately after production is p a n o, even though that production has been fortissimo.
i
And
the
amount
of tone left over after a softly
cannot be greater produced.
than
it
that
left
over
after
produced tone one less softly
Therefore,
also
must be piano.
37
These facts indicate the difference existing between the volume of tone of a note at its entry, and the volume of the same tone immediately after. In the musical example
given above, when the second chord time to listen to the remains of the
still,
is
un played
of
there
is
tone
the
first;
and
the likelihood of
the
is
ear
being misled
by the
illusion
previously mentioned
In
strong.
rgggpri
any passage played legato, such as the following: in which the succession of sounds is quick,
the ear has no time to
~Tj~Tj rl
compare the small

at
volume
the following one. the beginnings
It
of
tone
left
over
rather
the
end
of
one sound with the much larger volume heard

is
at the entry of
here a matter
of
comparing
of successive
these beginnings are equal But legato is a matter of Quality
sounds, to decide whether with each other.

also,
as
well
as
of
The term Legato, taken in its finest pianistic sense, equality. means something more than merely "not staccato". It means the greatest possible freedom from percussion-quality of
tone,
whether the succession
of
sounds be quick or slow.
It
therefore also
means, "not Non-Legato".
And
the
rolling-
motion of the arm confers
this greatest possible
freedom from
percussion-quality, and thus helps to partly conceal the Piano's greatest defect, namely, the absence of a true Legato. 7) In "rolling" the finger on to any key from which tone is wanted, the weight, latent in the heart of the Roll, is released
just at the
moment
that the finger,
carried
by the
of
-
arm and
weight
-
hand,
passes across that key.
the dropping of weight down allowed to disturb the rolling-motion
must not be arm as the latter continues on its way. The release of weight is a controlled release, seeing that the speed at which the key is depressed must be timed to produce exactly the amount of tone required
of
releasing "into" the key the
This
38
a slower speed for a softer tone, and
vice versa;
Sec. 7.
from any note depends on the This consists of one and each of these, as or more Note-patterns (Notenbilder*) pictured in the printed music, must have -the outline of the wrist-curve fitted exactly to it. This fitting of the curve to the Note-pattern will be exemplified later on: (Sec. 30, and 44.) 8) The bodily advantage accruing to the player from a
of tone required
latter's
The amount
"musical" place
in the phrase.
;
use of the rolling-motion is, that, with the least possible amount of energy expended, he gets the greatest amount of work done, seeing that, for his effects, he is able to depend more on the
large
and powerful muscles of the upper-arm, shoulder, and back, than on the weaker ones of the fore-arm and hand.
this
it
By
is
the latter.
On
not implied that he dispenses with the use the contrary: these smaller muscles are
of
in
and contribute unceasingly their proportion to the harmonious working of the whole arm. The rolling-motion allows the player to have an easy mind, and to feel confidence The absence of in himself during the heat of performance. obstruction in the arm and hand favours self-confidence physical
constant use,
;
and the consciousness

his
will
that,
while playing,
his
artistic
the
commands
of
are
in
obeyed,
and
mirrored
sound,
reacts
on
the
player
personality is being and leads him to
express himself unconstrainedly.
which the Rolling-motion plays in doing away with excessive and exaggerated stretch between the fingers will be demonstrated later on: Sec. 42, 44, and 46.
part
The
Bandmann.
Gewichtstechnik
page
24.
CHAPTER
VII.
CURVE-OUTLINES,
SECTION
24.
The figures outlined in space by the wrist during the arm's rolling-motion are the Ellipse, various modifications of the Figure-eight, and one of the halves, much reduced, of the
latter figure,
namely, the Loop. In actual piano-playing these wrist-curves are made while the finger, supporting the arm,
is
of the of
the second down a key. This complex action Combines given in the Table, Sec. 12, a combination should not be attempted before Rolling-motion and Hold
holding
preliminary practice of
"
its
separates" has been gone through.
A
-
study of Hold
I
the minor-passivity of the Table, Sec. 11 have already recommended: beginning of Sec. 21. And
a study of the arm-rolling-motion
may now be
25.
begun.
SECTION
The
its
first
necessity for the student before

is
he can execute
it
:
any outline with precision,

form.
If
to mentally of
this
see
be
to
imagine
bodily
his mental picture

it
hazy,
the
his
be imperfect. have a clear idea of the form of

execution of
will
ability to trace that outline
And even though he may

any
outline,
muscular
may be
as yet uncultivated.
simplest preliminary method, perhaps, of tracing any outline, is to do so near the wall. The neighbourhood of a "background" will help the eye. Let the
student standing erect, with
Ex. VIII.
The
arm
half
outstretched
and one
40
outstretched finger - - the others lightly doubled up - - trace figures of various shapes, circles, ellipses, figure-eights, spirals, and of as etc., making the figures 'slowly, of various sizes,
perfect outline as possible.
He must move
:
his
outstretched
arm
wrist
" the finger-joints braced that is gently fixed." These outlines must be executed first with each arm separately. Each figure ought to be outlined at -a moderate speed, and
only
and
at the
shoulder and elbow,
keeping the
all
muscles near the shoulder begin to feel slightly tired. The arm may then be rested by being allowed to hang limp
until the
by the side while the other arm is exercised. The shoulders, during the tracings, must not be allowed to rise.
Ex. IX.
In the following figures the
arrow-head
is
placed
on the spot at which, and points in the direction in which, the tracing-movement starts. Trace slowly with each arm
separately
:
Pig.2.
Fig.3.
OQOO
Fig.5
Tig. 6
Fig.7
Tig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig.12
The
tion,
benefit gained
from a careful and symmetrical execuof
with
each
arm
separately,
these
apparently
simple
41
outlines
is
a muscular preventive one.
This preliminary practice

unnecessary disturbing
will render easier the Inhibition of the
involuntary movements certain to make their appearance when the student begins tracing outlines with both arms simultaneously. (See end of Sec. 21.)
SECTION
26. with
Before beginning the practice of these figures
both
arms simultaneously, a short description of the Convergent, Divergent, and Parallel motions of the arms may be useful. When the arms approach, from opposite sides, an imaginary line drawn from the head downwards through the centre of
It remains convergent the motion is Convergent. though the arms (after meeting in the centre) cross each other*: since they, though now diverging at their still continue at their upper the fingers lower extremities
the body,
even
extremities to
approach
this central line.
arms (hands) starting from the central line left from each other, the motion is Divergent. Even when the hands, starting from a "crossed" position,
the
When
recede right and
-both, at begin by approaching each other
their lower
the motion
extremities, moving towards

is
the central line

- -
Divergent, seeing that the upper extremities are

line.
receding
and
di-
from the central

vergent
are
is
Both
motions
as
convergent
commonly known
in
motion
an easy one,
The Contrary-Motion. because sympathetic to the body. An

the above definition
arises
from the fact that when the convergent arms cross each other the hands are then receding from the central line of the body. When the arms simultaneously move in the same direction -- both arms approaching or receding from the
apparent discrepancy imaginary central
*)
line
the
motion
is
then Parallel.
This
Bandmann.
Gewichtstechnik, page 99.
42
motion
is
is more complex muscularly than contrary motion; it more unsympathetic to the body, and consequently, more
execute. While practising any figure the student should take special care to motion,
difficult to
in
Parallel
keep the
on
the
hands always atthe same distance from each

other.
This
will
exercise
controlling
influence
muscular system of the shoulder and back. Ex. X. The following are the combinations
and Parallels)
of the figures given
in
Sec. 25.
(Contraries They are to
be worked with both arms simultaneously.
L.H.
Fig.13
R.H.
L.H.
fl.H
Fig.H
Fig. 15
Pig. 16
-R
MEM
Fig.17
Fig.18
Tig.19
Tig. 20
Fig. 21
eo
Fig. 23
Fig.
43
Tig. 2 5
Tig.26
Tig. 2 7
If
Tig.
28
(or
the student
is
anxious to discover
of of
how much
let
how
try
little)
to
independence combine the left-portion
of
arm-action he possesses,
him
with
:
any
the
figures
the
For example the right-portion of any of the other figures. of either ellipse with the right of any of the Figure-eights, or Spirals and vice versa. He will probably discover many
left
;
unsuspected cases of uncontrolled and 'disturbing arm-action; and if these are worked at and mastered now, he will be in
a better position for assimilating the complexities of the rollingmotion later on.
SECTION
Ex. XI.
the
27.
derived from
either
A more
than
difficult set of outlinings,
Figure-eight, Simple-contrary or Simple-parallel, are the following
those
in Sec. 26,
which were
Compound
ones
- :
contrary and parallel.
Fig.29
Tig.30
Fig.31
Tig. 32
OO OO CO OO
Tig. 3 3
Tig. 35
OO CO
Tig. 36
OOjCO
44
that the practice of outlining these various have, in some measure, trained the student's mental eye to see any desired outline, and his physical powers to trace it The result of this twofold training correctly.
It
is
hoped
figures
may
he must
of
now
transfer to
of
the
keyboard,
curvilinear
above
and
in
front
is
which a
series
delicate
wrist-movements
constantly taking place during the rolling-motion of the arm. In the previous free-arm exercises, there was one fixed
point, namely,
plified at the
the shoulder.
In the rolling-motion,
as exem-
finger-tip.
keyboard, there are two: the shoulder and the In the previous free-arm exercises, the wrist-joint
during the keyboard arm-roll, it is In the previous exercises, the area within
still
:
was purposely kept

in
constant motion.
by the length of the rolling-motion at the keyboard, the area During to which each wrist-curve or curvilinear figure is limited depends upon the dimension. of the note-pattern to which it
the arm.
is
which the outlines were traced was limited
fitted
Sec. 23, par. 7
and
to
some
extent
upon
the length
of the fingers.
CHAPTER
VIII.
ROLLED WEIGHT,
SECTION
Ex. XII.
self familiar
28.
The
student, before proceeding to the applica-
tion of rolling-motion to tone-production,
ought
limited
to
with the figures in Sec. 26 and 27,
make himwhen these

area
are executed under the restriction of the
which
The drill for this consists in a held-down finger compels. down with the third finger any key of the piano holding
preferably beginning with
)j
PfeE V^LA^
I.
for
the
right
hand,
and
*r
=^=
for the left
and
at the
given
in the
above-mentioned sections.
same time executing any The third
figure finger
has been chosen to begin with, as it will be found the most convenient so far as the loading of the key with correct weight
is
concerned.
Each
finger
- -
of both
hands
must be used
in turn as the
troublesome
"heavy"
to
"holding" one. The first and fifth are the most the fifth especially so when holding down
at
keys
the
bass
end
of
the
keyboard.
Before
practising these exercises let the student give special attention the remarks in Sec. 5, and 6, about "underloading" the
held-down key. The hands must be drilled first separately, and then simultaneously. If this is thoroughly done now, the student will be spared much nerve-annoyance afterwards. As a test of this latter, let him, with the fifth-finger of both hands
The
on held-down keys, practise any of the figures in Sec. 27. disturbing muscular movements spoken of in Sec. 21, 25,
46
and
26, will
show themselves
persistently at
is
first..
The
best
way
of exorcising these
unruly Spirits
the
following.
Let
draw out on paper, on a fairly large scale, both the right and left-hand portion of the figure he wishes to master. Beginning the wrist-curve in each hand at the arrowhead, let him follow very slowly round the two outlines,
the student
watching
both
closely,
and
making
his wrists follow slowly
the course of the figures as followed by his eyes. Any mistake made by either of the wrists is a proof that the student is
traversing the curvilinear
pathway not
29.
slowly enough.
SECTION
During the outlining
the
movement
no
of the figures given in Chapter VII. of the wrist as a joint was suppressed there
was
independent
made by
wrist -movement.
(See
Sec.
25,
But in the arm-rolling motion productive of pianoEx. VIII.) The tone, the wrist is in continuous undulating movement.
angle
is
(1)
along the
back
of the
the line along the fore-arm and the line hand from the wrist to the knuckles
The angle (2) made by the line along continually varying. the outside of the fore-arm and the line along the side (the edge) of the palm from the wrist to the fifth-finger knuckle
is
continually varying.
The
to
line
(3)
across
the back of the
hand from second
finger
fifth-finger
of the plane surface of the keys, each other, and very often not
line-relation being occasioned
are
- -
and the line sometimes parallel to

knuckle
last
these
alterations
of
by the continual
delicate
inter-
change
of
pronation and su pi nation
of the
hand: (see
These variations of angle and line-relation, taking Sec. 18). as they do in the easily seen lines of the arm and hand, place take place therefore at the hidden centre, of the wrist.
And
this
along
focussed centre (Sec. 11) is itself paths similar to those outlined in
in
constant motion
Sec. 26
and 27.
47
Following out Steinhausen's comparison of the fingers (during arm-rolling-motion) to the spokes of a revolving wheel, this hidden centre of the wrist may be compared to the Hub of
that wheel.
SECTION
The student
of
will
30.
now
be ready to practise the combination
Tone-production, Rolling-motion, and Hold (the 24th of the Table in Sec. 12) - - one in which the two Activities work
along with the minor Passivity: be asked to make the first time,
Sec.
roll
11.
He
will,
for
the
of the
arm rhythmic.
doing form of the

so,
In
he must
learn
to
fit
the wrist-curve line to the
Note-pattern:
(Sec. 23).
is
The
occupied
portions,
in
executing the
whole curve
period of time divided into certain
and each portion is separated from its two neighbouring ones by time-moments synchronous with the moments of Impulse which cause Tone. (Sec. 10.)
To
give
an
example:
Let
the
following
ellipse be the form of the curve which the hidden centre of the wrist outlines "in the air" while
the fingers of the right
hand
are
playing
this
eight-note-figure:
p/^
^^=^^=i:j
The
time-distance
between any two consecutive notes in this passage being the same (the eight notes of the passage being of equal timevalue) and one steady complete revolution of the wrist-centre being needed for the eight notes, it follows that the whole
line will be divided into eight equal parts. In other words, each piano-key must be passed over at an equal speed during the complete revolution, time and space being
elliptical
thus
fitted to
each other.
equal
The arm-weight
and the
is
each key
at
time-distances,
dropped "into" amount of tone
48
heard
at
each of the eight weight-drops must also
be equal.
Therefore, the speed of key-depression at each weightdrop must be equal. (See Sec. 7.)
SECTION
A
pared
for the student's practice
is
31.
graphic representation of this eight-note passage as prethe following:

starting
lc (
The arrow-head shows
the
wrist's
point as well as the direction in curve -line is to be followed.
which the
^ H
-
G5
The equal
the
<j
distance
between the
letters
prefigures
equal time-distance of the tones from each other; and the dots on the curvilinear line represent the time-moments at which tone-production takes place while the wrist-centre is
travelling round.
The arrow-head
is
placed
signifies
first
before
that
is
the
the
C
roll
with which the passage begins.

of the
This
the
arm must begin before
tone
heard.
preliminary
curvilinear
rise therefore of the
arm, with the
wrist gently braced, must be made to a height a little above the keyboard. From this height the arm without stop descends along a curvilinear path, getting thus a certain amount of
"way" on before
playing
of the
ellipse
the surface of the keys

is
is
reached and
line
in
the
begun.
The curved
dotted
the
following figure
the upward and downward path arm and hand previous to the sounding of the first
represents
note
of
the
^- R.H. ~\ \ fe
y
v
passage:
line
Sec. 36,
Ex. XIII.
The
left
-
dotted
-
here
shown
-
proceeds
right to
graphically
in
sideways
its
from
It
rise
and
fall.
may and
the
often
forward
fall
spiels";
player proceed forwards: that is, For a description of this rise and keyboard. of the arm, see Bandmann: "Gewichtstechnik des Klavierand my Breithaupt: "Die natiirliche Klaviertechnik"
does
from
to the
49
own
the
book, "Balance of Arm."
This
- -
important
movement
Activities,
Swinging Motion
of the
Arm
of the
minor
Sec. 11 --is indispensable in modern piano-playing, to be taught from the first stages of instruction.
and ought
SECTION
Just as,
in
32.
muscular action, the
learning Inhibition of unnecessary disturbing student begins tone-production with one
finger only, so, in studying Rolling-motion combined with toneproduction, he must begin with the depression of only one
On first attempting, during key during each complete Roll. the roll, to allow the weight of his arm to drop through the
any special key without endangering the lineal made by the wrist as its hidden centre approaches and passes over the spot on its curvilinear pathway "in the air," at which tone from that key has to be
finger "into"
perfection of the curve
that
produced, the student will probably want to know what it is he must do extra to the rolling-motion which of
itself
may
for
course produce no tone, seeing that any roll be correctly executed while the finger-tips are lying on
will of
the surface of
undepressed keys. Even if it were possible him to learn from some expert in the science of muscular mechanics the particular combination of muscles engaged in
the
the movement,
information would probably be of such a nature as to puzzle rather than help him. The student knows that he cannot produce tone from the piano unless he push
a key down at a certain speed (Sec. order to play the following passage:
:
3).
He knows
that,
in
Piano-Teaching.
50
with one complete elliptical arm-roll for each bar graphically so: *x he must do something more than merely allow
x^
U.K.
ê
num b once d ur ing each revolution
to
be pulled
{/ slidingly and diagonally across the surface of the key B without depressing it. This "something more" is the telegraphing of the Impulse (Sec. 10) through arm, hand, and
finger with the
speed
of thought, effecting thereby a
momentary
thumb and key down. Simultaneously with this thumb-activity, the third, fourth, and fifth fingers remain passive: (Sec. 9 and 10). This muscular momentary contraction even if the is immediately followed by Muscular Relaxation,
muscular contraction,
acting independently on the
its
producing tone by pushing
thumb be held down.
The
student
the
will
recollect
that
to
the
duration of the hammer's act on
wire
was seen
be
momentary: (Sec. 10). is momentary, and the duration of a nerve-flash down through arm, hand, and finger is shorter than the duration of the hammer's blow on the wire. A passage therefore of the
following nature
:
The
duration of this muscular contraction
432132 14321321
is
played by a series of nerve-flashes, each two contiguous ones being separated by an infinitesimally short period of
muscular relaxation.
notes,
consisting of fifteen intermediate periods of relaxation experienced during the playing of the scale - - one
there
will
The above
scale
thus
be fourteen
between each pair
of contiguous notes.
SECTION
A
33.
further analysis of the scale given in the last section will show that the fifth-finger has been stimulated only once.
It
will therefore
remain passive during the
rest
of
the scale.
51
The fourth-finger has been stimulated these two there is an

interval
in
twice; and between
of time filled
with six stimulations
of other fingers.
The
third-finger has
been stimulated four times; and

filled
between each of these there are intervals of time with two and three stimulations of other fingers
:
in
.3
The
second-finger has been stimulated
four times; and

filled
between each there are intervals of time and three stimulations of other fingers
:
in
with
two
The first-finger has been stimulated four between each there are intervals of time filled
and three stimulations
of other fingers:
1
times; and
in
with
two
The
at
intervals of relaxation occurring
between the moments
which the
same finger
pushes
down
its
key
are
intervals of Passivity for that particular finger.
As was seen
above, the fourth-finger enjoys the longest respite, there being six intervening moments of stimulation given to other fingers
before
its
turn
comes round
again.
From
these considerations
4*
52
will
it
be evident
if
that,
during
the
playing
of the scale,
the
has been properly trained, has as many passive it has active ones. This interchange, at a very of activity and comparative passivity during the rapid rate, rolling-motion of the arm, gives to the whole limb the feeling of working almost unconsciously. The adaptation of the
hand,
it
moments
as
shown
rolling-motion to the playing of scales later on Chap. XIII. and XIV.

:
and arpeggios
will
be
SECTION
At the beginning of Sec. 25,
necessity
for
34.
mention
was made
of the
lineal perfection
of the wrist's
curve,
implying thus that any imperfection in that line would spoil the arm's chance of dropping weight "into" the key correctly. It
may perhaps
outline
.if
help the student to acquire this perfection of curve-
he will accustom himself to think of four points in the circumference of any ellipse, as North, South, East, and West. This division of the whole line into sections
will help
him
to
locate
the
quarter
in
which
tone-
any
imperfection
- -
line-imperfection
and therefore
may show itself, and thus to fasten on the weak spot and strengthen it by slower and more careful
practice.
to
It
will
be found that irregularity of outline

frequently
at
is
likely
occur
more
circumference
namely,
sharper portions of the E. and W. than at the flatter

the
of the wrist's curvilinear
outline,
let
portions. As a test of the steadiness movement and a guide to its truth of
the student,
while practising with separate hands, enclose the "working" wrist between the separated index and middle finger of the
hand opened scissor-wise. These two enclosing fingers must neither push nor pull the "working" wrist, but must lie Any irregularity in the lightly on it and accompany it round. "working" wrist will be at once felt by the other hand.
other
53
SECTION
It
35.
is
necessary
to
warn
the student
who may be
if
trying
to acquire the rolling-motion
particularly
he happen to
be encouraged to do so from merely reading any treatise on the subject, and without the practical guidance of any one
who
consciously
uses
it
- -
that
his
first
attempts
will
be
the
hampered by
The
first
the presence of of these is the
two stumbling-blocks.
feeling
that,
while
rolling
:
that his arm, he cannot, as he expresses it, "get any tone" that he tumbles off the keys - - especially touch is insecure The cause of this is: Want of sufficient if they are black keys.
:
preliminary
holding
its
rid
of Balancing the Arm while This feeling of insecurity, with practical consequence of "want of tone," will never be got of until the student has learned how to load the key with
training
in
the
art
down
a key or keys.
that
amount
of
weight which
in the
will
allow his hand and arm to
be pulled about hither and thither without fear of the fingertip's

is
being dislodged
process.
The
art
of
doing
this
indispensable
in scale
the "loop" seen in Fig.
and arpeggio work, in which is used 7 and 8 of Sec. 25. See Chap. XII.
is
The cause
of
of this particular stumbling-block
Insufficiency
Weight on the held-down

is
key.
This
underloading of the
is specially fatal in legato-playing, when armtransferred from finger to finger - - in other weight being words, from key to key. In such a passage as the following:
key (see Sec. 5)
4_
p p t
Efc= 1
the student applies the correct amount =] of weight to the fourth-finger after having
if
sounded F, he then feels assured that he be able to transfer weight to the next key E - - with the exact speed of down-push that will produce tone of the - F - - held by necessary quantity. But if, to that same key
will
the fourth-finger, too little weight be applied, then the student's arm is out of Balance, and has lost the "purchase"
54
or leverage necessary to enable it to roll weight on to the next key E with the necessary speed of down-push, and at the exact instant. The act of crossing a brook on
stepping-stones
moving-weight. from foot to foot

unbalanced,
gives an illustration If the weight of the

this
is,
of
the
in
transference
its
of
body
transference
from
stone
to
stone
be
the security of the crossing is endangered; and for the correct transference of the weight to any stone, the
previous stone must, up to the last moment, be correctly loaded with the weight that is just about to leave it.
The
at
first,
student's second stumbling-block

to
is
the
temptation,
to
make
too
in
all
his
figures
Ellipses,
large.
Figure-eights,
is
Loops,
etc.
extended,
too
He
tempted
squander energy
spherical.
If
making
his wrist-curve-lines exaggeratedly (

>
he have
this figure
to trace,
he will
make
it
like this:
or he will
make
this
is
While the previous mistake was disastrous, one is wasteful and absurd. Such exaggeration the result of either faulty and insufficient
preliminary practice of these outlines, or of the natural tendency of every novice when learning any movement to start from the maximum. If, during his increasing familiarity with the intricacies
of the rolling-motion, the student will try to remember that the finger, hitherto free, has now, in these applied forms, become a held-centre round which these curvilinear figures
are constructed, or a pivot on which the hand turns, he will quickly learn to limit their extension to the exigencies of the
keyboard, and to make each figure, when fitted to pattern, as small instead of as large as possible.
its
note-
CHAPTER
IX.
APPLICATION OF ROLLED WEIGHT, THE "ORDINARY" ELLIPSE DIVIDED EQUALLY,

SECTION
of
- -
36.
for the application
The student may now begin Exercises

the
while that is, for tone-production weight to the keys arm is in continuous rolling-motion. Every arm-motion
must be a motion of the whole arm not merely a forearm motion, or a hand-motion, but one in which all the separate portions of the limb from finger-tip to shoulder are to the carrying out of It will conduce conjointly engaged.
this
important
principle
if
he will
think
of
the
of his
muscles
of
the back, chest,
ments.
As
to
and shoulder as the source the particular muscles which

he
arm-moveused
that that
are
while
to the
making these movements,

physiologist.
joint of the
may
safely
leave
to
is:
What
limb
the student
must see
every
be
motion.
in
some
shoulder-joint, elbow-joint, and wrist-joint, degree, either greater or less, kept in continuous
THE "ORDINARY"
Ex. XIII. Let the student,
resting
right
ELLIPSE.
sitting at the piano, the right hand on the knee, make a curvilinear rise and fall of the arm as shown in Sec. 31 and drop the second-finger on D,
Ok^
2
continuing the curve-line

"in
now
as an elliptical figure
described
the
air"
by the wrist-centre, while
56
holding the finger continuously on with the wrist-curve in the direction
points: that is, Sec. 31. With the second-finger holding down D, execute twenty or thirty of these
elliptical
Proceed which the arrow-head South and then East: see

at low-level.
in
figures,
making each complete

This
ellipse
in
the time of one second.

wrist.
gives a fairly quick
roll
to the
No
attempt must be
made
to
originate
arm-motion
from the elbow alone:
the upper-arm must participate. Keep the hand loose, and do nothing active with the third, fourth, and fifth-fingers, but let them rest easily on the surface of the keys at highlevel.
The thumb
- -
that
is,
the first-finger
will
be pulled
away from and replaced on the keys at each revolution. not allow the wrist to rise too high or fall too low, thus Try to perpetrating the exaggeration spoken of in Sec. 35.
slidingly
Do
retain in the
ellipse,
mind a
vivid picture
of
the
exact
form
of
the
that
it
continually scrutinise the wrist-curve-line to see reproduces this mental picture as closely as possible.
will
and
During the wrist's curve-motion there
be noticed
in
con-
tinuous free "play" the alterations of angle mentioned in Sec. 29. Of these, the third namely, that caused by the rotary action
of the fore-arm
-
that
if
the wrist be free the
need not be specially attended to, seeing hand will pronate and supinate
naturally,
and
the
just as
much
as
is
necessary.
it
For
down
use the same note, D, holding with the second-finger, after exe-
left
hand,
as
cuting the
wrist-curve
:
shown
first
in
the
/
jj
L.H.
following diagram and then West.
proceeding
South,
THE "REVERSED"
E x. X
I
ELLIPSE.
V.
This
is
the student, with the
the converse of the previous exercise. Let resting on the knee, and the right
hand
57
wrist slightly braced, make a curvilinear rise and shown in the following diagram:
../
fall
of the right
arm, as
landing with the second-finger on the key A -^- and proceeding with the wrist,
jff!
curve-line in the direction in
which ^
repetitions of
of
the arrow-head points, that is, South and then West. Make twenty or
the elliptical figure in this direction
-
thirty
the
opposite
that
given
in
Exercise XIII.
For the left

holding
it
hand,
use the note
three octaves lower
with the second-finger, and executing the wrist-curve-line as shown in the following diagram: proceeding first South and then East.
down
YW
^N E)
8
y^ ^/
L .H.
V %
The Roll shown in this exercise is made use of in scale and arpeggio work. \
See the "reversed"
ellipse, Sec. 52.
is
When
perfect in
the student
able to
shape,
and,
at the
make the wrist-curve-lines same time, to keep the "held-
sign of unsteadiness, he must then, in a similar manner, exercise each of the remaining four fingers of both hands. In drilling the fifth-finger he must
down" key from showing any
take care that

that
is,
its
knuckle
is
not allowed
to
fall
inwards
that
in the direction of the

its
keyboard: see Ex. XLVII, Sec. 65.
Neither must he allow

is,
nail-joint to
bend inwards:
If
with the
tip
pointing
away from
the hand.
these tendencies
are
overcome now, he will have less trouble later in building his hand to the muscular tension necessary for rapid octaveup For this same purpose the nail-joint playing: see Chap. XV. of the thumb should be kept bent slightly outwards that
is,
with
the
outside
angle
of
the nail-joint pointing in the
direction
away from the second-finger. Ex. XV. (A) The student must now work both hands
;
simultaneously
firstly, in
contrary motion.
Let him combine the
58
figures given in Ex. XIII, namely, using in both hands the secondL. H.
y aiia Y
R. H.
finger to begin with, and then proceeding to each of the other four pairs of fingers in turn, using the finger in
same
,
both hands.
(B)
The "reversed"
contrary
motion
namely,
must then be practised, and with the the pairs of fingers.

Ex. XVI.
same method
of
combining
The
student
may
then practise
first
and then
combining now a dissimilar pair of fingers. Each finger of either hand must be combined with every finger in turn of the other hand. If this is done with
of the previous exercise,
the curve-directions given at both
and B,
the
student will
have
fifty
different pivoting experiences.
The
in all,
following Table gives the possible finger-combinations;

L. H.
25:
R. H.
with
L. H.
R. H.
with
1
2
3
4
5
1
2 3
4
5
59
Ex. XVII.
curves
in Parallel
The student may now begin these

Motion.
Let
wrist-
him
practise
the
twenty-five
combinations of fingers given

the following curve-directions:
tto.l
in the
preceding exercise, using
No.2
L.H.
R. H.
L.H.
B. H,
It
is
hoped
that the student will continue
the practice
of
he has acquired a perfect parallelism between of the arms. the motions

this exercise until
Ex. XVIII. This having been acquired, he may then go on to Compound-contrary and Compound-parallel motion
The compound nature of the as applied to the ellipse. movement is produced when the lower-curve of the ellipse in the one hand is made simultaneously with the upper-curve in The four possible variants of Figs. 1 and 2 the other hand. The movement of the previous exercise are the following.
must
start at the
arrow-head.
COMPOUND-CONTRARY.
No.l
Uo.2
L. H.
B. H.
L. H.
R- H.
COMPOUND-PARALLEL.
"No.3
L.H.
H. H.
L.H.
60
The student must practise each of these four figures with the twenty-five finger-combinations given in Ex. XVI. of this
section.
SECTION
37.
THE "ORDINARY" ELLIPSE DIVIDED EQUALLY.

36 the student has been working at a combination of A of the Minor Activities with the Minor He will be prepared now to practise see Sec. 12. Passivity the combination of the same two with the addition of the No. 24 of the Table Major Activity, namely, tone-production
In the exercises of Sec.
;
given in Sec. 12.
Ex. XIX.
1.
An
attempt will here be
made
to teach, in
Divisions, the following note-pattern
as played with an equally divided The five different elliptic arm-roll.
notes of which the Figure consists,

C, D, E, F,
-
and G,
in
will,
in pairs
-
one note
each
hand
- -
be
pair for each Division. the Figure is that given
:
used as "held" notes
a different
The
at
particular Roll of Ex. XV., Sec. 36, namely, the "ordinary" ellipse
to
be
used
in
The
notation of the first
ill
portion
L.H.
R.H
of the practice is
61
The
to the
following Directions are given in order to make clear student what he must do while practising this first
first
portion of the
1.
Division of the Note-pattern.
2.
and F continuously. Eight equal beats must be counted during each complete ellipse, and the whole curvilinear line be divided into eight equal lengths, one for each beat, eight for each bar.
At beat At beat
1,
The second-fingers must hold down
3.
the
thumbs must sound
their notes
C and
G.
4.
2,
the thumbs must be drawn slidingly
off their
keys
by the Rolling
until
nothing
ellipse.
5.
beat
of the arm, and must then do comes round again in the following
Each
ellipse
must be made more slowly than

allowing
it
was
in
Ex. XIII. of Sec. 36, to each one.

6.
now
a couple of seconds
The
notes
particular "spot" on the (C and G) are to be

:
elliptic
path
at
sounded
by the
which the thumbs is
graphically so
L.H.
B. H.
at
7.
East for the left-hand, and at
West
for the right.
Both hands must work simultaneously in Contrary-motion, and must repeat the ellipse until it goes well.
Let the student re-read Sec. 32.
To
still
the two second-fingers being complete this Division - used as held notes each of the other fingers, namely,
third, fourth,
and
fifth,
must
it.
in turn
have
its
practice of sounding
the note belonging to
Seeing that
in the
whole note-pattern
62
one and
ellipse is executed,
that
eight
equal beats have to be
counted,
that each beat has a sounding note belonging to it, that there are only five notes in the pattern, it follows
that some of these five must be repeated. The repeated notes are D, E, and F. When any one of these three is used as the held note, the whole Division has six portions. But when
either C or G is used as the held note, the whole Division has seven portions the D, E and F occurring then in the upper as well as in the lower-curve of the ellipse. When either C or G is held, D in the right-hand and F in the left are second beat in the lower-curve and eighth in the upper:
E, in both hands,
is
third
in
the
lower and seventh
in the
upper: F in the right-hand and D in the left are fourth in the lower and sixth in the upper-curve. All this will become more evident to the student when he proceeds to the remaining five
portions of the present Division see Sec. 38. 2. In the s e c o n d portion of this same Division the
:
held keys are still D and F, and the playing conditions are same as those of the previous portion, except that the for both hands, playing finger now is the third - - note E at beat three. The notation therefore is:
the
2
63
Seeing that the third quaver of the note-pattern is E, and that the second quaver has the held keys D and F, the thirdfingers will sound E at beat three, and be drawn away from
the keys at beat four.
at
The
is
particular spot in the lower-curve

at
its
which E
In
is
sounded
now
lowest
point,
namely,
at South.
3.
the
third portion
so
the
held keys are

the fourths,
still
D
F
at
and
F,
remaining
;
during
the
remaining portions
of this
but the playing fingers are in the right-hand and D in the left,
Division
now
is
for
sounding the
therefore
:
notes
beat four.
The graphic
representation
that
is,
half
and
half
way between South and West for the left-hand, way between South and East for the right. The
still
regular counting of the eight beats must

4.
be continued.
In the
- -
fourth portion --
the held keys remaining
the
the playing fingers are the fifths, and the beat for the right-hand and at which they sound their notes - is beat five. The graphic representation is: C for the left
same
B.H.
The
namely, at West for the left-hand, and East for the right. student will have noticed that, in the graphic representation in each portion, the location of the note on the periphery
of the ellipse
has changed.
Also
that,
with the exception of
the
which the points East and West have been occupied, it has hitherto been the lower- curve of the ellipse on which the note was placed. In the concluding two portions
cases
in
64
upper- curve; F in the right-hand and D in and, the left which have already appeared as beat four will now be six, and E in both hands which previously was beat three
as
of this Division the note will
be found on the
was
before mentioned,
will
now
be
seven.
note-pattern will
perhaps make
graphic representation of the whole this more clearly understood

:
on the upper-curve of the ellipse from East right-hand and from West in the left, the line along the outer side of the arm and that along the outer edge of the palm of the hand become for the moment a nearly straight one. At this moment he must not "pronate" or "supinate" the han'd much: see Sec. 18.
In entering
in the
5.
In
-
the
fifth
portion
the
held
notes,
keys being
namely, F
with
D
for
and F
the location of the
sounded
for the left both played the right-hand and fourth fingers at beat six - - will be graphically
:
the
6.
In
the
sixth and
and F
the
concluding
location
- -
keys being
E,
the held portion of the sounded note,

at beat
namely, with the third-fingers
for
both hands
will
played in both be graphically

:
seven
65
It
is
tried to
make
make
beats
the
it
that in these six portions the student has the wrist-motion perfectly regular, that is, to travel along in a perfect curve, without the slightest
hoped
jerk in the
- -
arm, and with an equal pace for each of the eight 8 sections - - into which the time spent in traversing
is
line
divided.
To
obtain
the
now
is
mastery
to
over
a
this
regulating of the form and
pace
obtain
future
mastery over what

the strength of the
is
commonly known as
the "equalising" of
fingers:
- -
(see No. 2 of Sec. 23).
The
hand-tension necessary for furthering this equalisation will be
spoken
Chap. XV. Before passing on to the second Division of the original note-pattern, namely that in which each of the six portions is
of later
at
on
worked
is
while the note
third-finger of both
hands
is
the directions given at the beginning of Ex. XIX. It was there said that the thumb must be "drawn slidingly back from" its key by the rolling-motion of the arm. The term "drawn back from" is to be understood
to
used as the "held" note, the a remark made in the 4th of
student's
attention
called
as including two distinct acts:

the edge of
its
firstly,
at
just
low level;
when
key by the thumb and secondly, the
a gentle sliding towards while the key is still

letting
up
first
of that finger of these

-
the next finger goes
down.
The
the sliding motion --is necessary to prevent any stoppage of the movement of the wrist's centre along the path of the
the relaxing, at a certain is, the gentle pressure which the finger exerts on the key while holding it down. This moment is that at which the next beat arrives. And this beat arrives when a certain section of the curve of the ellipse has been traversed. In legato-playing this is the moment at which the new note arrives and the old one departs. The
ellipse.
The second
of
moment,
relaxing of this gentle pressure at the
departure
of
Piano-Teaching.
the 5
old
66
note
is
to
Passivity.
be regarded as an act of the greatest possible The movement is merely an up-movement of the
finger
slide
in
close contact with the key.

during
the
The thumb:
place Ex. XIII, Sec. 36.
takes
see only See also the end of Ex. XXXIV, Sec. 52.
"ordinary"
ellipse
SECTION
In
38.
the
the
Division
just
concluded
student
will
have
observed that the second-fingers have been used as the "held" In each of the fingers throughout each of the six portions. four Divisions now to be practised, a pair of similar remaining
fingers
(that
is,
both thirds,
both fourths,
etc.)
will
be used
as the held pair, and the
same pair
the portions of the same Division. the thumbs are held, as also in that in
held, there will be
run through all In the Division in which

will
which the
fifths
are
seven
portions
for the reason that, in each
of these Divisions, the three twice-used fingers of the note-pattern 4 3 2 and fourth, viz. the second, third,
234
^fl
are then free.

the held finger
When
it
the
thumb
is
may be allowed
to
backwards and forwards on its key. If the student has thoroughly understood and worked carefully through the six
slide
portions of Division
I.
detailed in Sec. 37, he will understand
how
go through the remaining four Divisions. Let him not grudge the time spent on this preliminary practice of the
to
Rolling-motion.
following Table gives the "held" fingering belonging to each of the five Divisions of Ex. XIX. In Division I. the 2nd fingers are held
The
II.
3rd
4th
5th
1st
III.
IV.
V.
67
The thumb and

as
to
it
is
on these two outside fingers
the fifth-finger have been left till the last, that it is most difficult
balance the arm correctly.
SECTION
The
student will
39.
applied to the
now begin using the rolling-motion as simultaneous production and stoppage of tone
Legato -playing.
commonly
still
called
practice of this "binding" of
Among
would
be used as a pivot for those writers who advocate the

set aside as useless, harmful,
During the preliminary two sounds, a "held" finger will the arm and hand to turn on.
introduction
into
piano-teaching of the Rolling-arm-motion, there are
some who
and retrograde, all exerSuch exercises are cises finger. certainly useless to the student if they teach him nothing. But if, on the contrary, they teach him to load a key or keys
which include any "held"
with weight
the art of
correctly
(Sec. 4)
while
with other fingers of the same hand,
playing simultaneously then they are teaching

to
one
-
keys, which is aims of the rolling-motion. Exercises which make use of these "chained-up" fingers as they are opprobiously termed - - are certainly harmful
distributing weight
chief
the
of the
if
they teach the student to

to
overload
tension
the key
quently unnecessary conditions in the hand and arm.
induce
and
is
and consefalse muscular

of
But
it
by means
can
the
"held" finger
effectually taught
to
the tenuto
- -
that the student
be most
how not
to
overload, as well as
how
not
underload the key: (See Sec. 5 and 6). To call the study of this special branch of piano-technique harmful would seem then to be only one degree less strange than to say that the
compositions of J. S. Bach are the most dangerous that can be recommended to the student, seeing that they, much more
than those of any
other
composer,
compel the
use
of
5*
the
68
"chained-up"
finger.
- -
To
hold
down
a key with the correct

will
test
amount
of
weight
and the rolling-motion

finger.
this -
can never do harm to the
To
only if student's technique or debase his musical taste. The raising of the art of piano-teaching to a higher general plane than it occupies at present will to a considerable extent depend
stigmatize these exercises as retrograde would be just it could be proved that they act unfavourably on the
on the amount of attention paid to the lever-nature of the key, and on the inculcation of a certain muscular Passivity in
the student's playing organism. these matters the "held" finger,
And
in the study of both of with the help of the rolling-
motion, will play an important part.
SECTION
The student may now begin
motioa applied
will
to the
40.
the
practice
of the rolling-
production of tones played legato.

:
Small
portions o! the old Note-pattern, viz
be used to begin with. The notes of the pattern are here numbered
according to the which each one appears
order
while
in
the
The figuring ellipse is traversed. therefore in the exercises given below is to be considered not as indicating
as
the wrist-centre
is
the
showing particular spots on the curve-line

passing over these,
4.
fingering, but at which, when

notes
are
to
the
be
this
sounded.
clearer.
The following diagrams

See Sec. 37, Ex. XIX, No. L.H.
will
perhaps
make
R.U.
69
The
score" in
of the
exercises
following will be given in "compressed order to save space. It will be noticed that in both
above diagrams the numbers 2, 3, and 4 are on the and that 6, 7, and 8 are on the upper-curve of To keep the student in mind of this the stems the ellipse. of the notes will be turned up or down according as they belong to the upper or lower-curve. The notes C and G
lower-curve,
being
on
the
"outsides"
of
the
curve
are
given
without
1234
stems.
67
The
whole
note -pattern
written in
compressed score
12345
1
will accordingly
appear so:
h
I
70
direction in
exercises.
which the wrist-centres
travel during the following

6 7
2nd
Ex. XX.
fingers
held.
R.
H.-
L. H.
71
p H
72
5th
Ex.
XXVI.
fingers
held.
1st
fingers
VmlH
73
SECTION
42.
The student must practise the following variants of the above Note-pattern in order to accustom himself to trust to
the rolling-motion to guide the finger-tips to their places over To execute properly any one of these the required keys.
variants,
certain spot
that
finger belonging to
on each key must be touched by the key, and the particular lie of this
If spot is settled by the special build and size of the hand. the spot on each key could be marked, and a line drawn from the spot on the first key of the variant to the spot on
the next key
- -
and so on
- -
the
graphic
result
would
of
be
what Steinhausen
tip to this
calls a "key-picture."
To
guide each finger-
spot on each key with

is
the
minimum
hand-
exertion
one duty
of the rolling-motion of the arm.
No.
1.
No.
2.
No.
3.
No.
4.
No.
5.
Each
of these variants
simultaneously, octaves lower than the right.
and
in
must be played with both hands - the left-hand two contrary motion
They must then be
trans-
pos'ed into every key;

the scale.
and, to do this easily, the student
should think of each variant as embodying certain portions of
No.
is
is
the
first five
degrees of the minor scale.
No. 2
the five of a major scale, beginning
on the fourth
degree.
No. 3
is
the five of a minor scale (harmonic) beginning on
the fourth.
74
No. 4
No. 5
In
is five
is five
of the of
minor scale beginning on the seventh. the major scale beginning on the seventh.
a series
let
1
endeavouring to produce
of
tones in these sixty (5

well
in
equal-sounding
student
12) variants,
in Par.
the
mind what was said
of Sec. 23,
keep and in
Sec. 29, about the unceasing undulating movement of the wrist caused by the delicate alteration of the line-relation between arm -and hand. All inequalities of tone-volume heard
while
playing
of
must be
the
attributed
not
to
inequality
to
in
the
dis-
strength
fingers
concerned,
but
a faulty
tribution of the
Weight
of the
:
Arm,
consequent
on
faulty
The (see Sec. 39, 2nd Paragraph). which the tension of the muscles of the hand, important part arm, and shoulder plays in the furtherance of weight-distribution
use of the rolling-motion
will
be spoken of afterwards: Chap. XV.
Note-patterns in which the interval between the contiguous notes is not less than a minor third, and which are played
to
an "ordinary"
ellipse
divided
:
equally
(Sec. 36,
Ex. XIII.)
are the following arpeggios
124
12345
125
125
2 4
1235
12345
125
125
note-patterns will probably create the idea that the fingers, while playing them, will need to be stretched widely apart. With regard to this
of
of the
The appearance
some
above
75
matter the student should refer to the remarks
and 46 concerning an exaggerated use of the thumb must be kept in mind.

Ex.
of Stretch.
made in The
Sec.
44
sliding
XXIX.
in
passage such as the following: which an upper and a lower set of notes
In
are played simultaneously
commonly
the
called
a "double-note"
instead of being
elliptic,
passage approaches more nearly

:
curve-line,
to the circular.
The curves
illustrated are as follows

Sra-
R. H.
It
will
be seen from the above that the one curve almost
immediately turns back into the other.
For the left-hand the curves
will
be as follows
UPPER
UPPER
The curves
for a similar
passage
in sixths will
be
UPPER
n
L.
H.
FQ^=*,
:
p9
r^
1
*|
f rÎ3L_b=^=
r-rî
+f
LOWE
5434
2
1*~I
2 5
76
4
1
3
1
UPPER
UPPER
R. H.
The following Exercises in single notes will facilitate the execution of the "circular" wrist-curve-lines necessary for the above double-note patterns.
L.
H.
1232 2343 3454 1121

112]
3454 2343 1232

R. H.
And
the illustration of the circles necessary for both v ^
hands
is:
UPPER
-
R-
LOWER
CHAPTER
X.
THE ELLIPSE DIVIDED UNEQUALLY

AS TO SPEED, FITTING THE "ORDINARY" ELLIPSE TO THE NOTE-PATTERN.
UNEQUAL CURVE-LENGTHS,
SECTION
In the journey
43.
of
round the
Ellipse,
it
made by the hidden centre was shown - - Sec. 30 - -
the
wrist
that
each of
the eight equal lengths into which the line of its circumference divided was! travelled over in the same length of time. is
The
necessity for this arose from the fact that the number of equal-length notes played in the lower-curve between the note
played by the first-finger and that

equal to the
fifth
played
number played
in
the
by the fifth was upper-curve between the

"fit"
and
It
first.
has been said that the curve-line must be made to
the note-pattern: Sec. 23, No. 7. This must be done not only as regards the type of curve-line (ellipse, figure-eight), but also as regards the speed at which different portions of the
same
are travelled over by the wrist-centre. Seeing that the distance from point West to point East along the upper-curve of an ellipse is equal to that along
line
the lower-curve, if the r h y t h i c distance in the music, the sequence of notes played during the lower-curve through is longer than the rhythmic distance during the upper-curve,
78
the wrist-centre will accordingly have to travel along the uppercurve more quickly than along the lower one. Conversely:
the time-value of any note in the note-pattern is equal to that of any of the other notes, and the whole time occupied
if
in traversing the
sequence
is
of
notes played
than
the
to
--
say
in
the
lower-curve
longer
the
in
time
traversing that played to
greater
pattern
number
and
its
of
notes
the
upper, lower-curve.
will
there
occupied must then be
The
this.
following
illustrative
1 2
diagram
show
123453
S^^
W
LOWER CUPPER
CURVE
CURVE
will
w;c(i
S)GE.
From
these
it
the printed music
be seen that the rhythmic distance on is longer on the lower-curve from the
-
E back and accordingly, that the lower-curve point W; must be travelled over more slowly than the upper. The student must keep in mind that it is impossible to guess the rhythmic distance from one note of the printed music to another by means of the method of graphic illustraThe two passages tion adopted here.
to that
at
note at point West C - to that at point East than it is on the upper-curve from the note at point
and
which are
of
different
notation
and rhythm,
to dot
are
illustrated
graphically in the
same manner,
(lineally)
namely, that given above.
The
line
relative distance
from dot
on the curve-
does
not
illustrate the relative distance
note from note on the printed music. ellipse divided unequally as to speed
Some
will
(rhythmically) of examples of the
be
given
in
the
following section.
79
SECTION
44.
FITTING THE "ORDINARY" ELLIPSE TO THE NOTE-
PATTERN.
be easy for the student while examining any notepattern to decide as to which of its notes are to be played on the lower and which on the upper-curve of the ellipse if he will only remember that, as a general rule, the note
It
will
played by the first-finger (the thumb) is the this refers note on which the lower-curve starts
to either
hand
- -
and
that the note played
by the
fifth
(often
starts.
the fourth) finger is that on which the upper-curve When the fingering is fitted to the two curves in this the
manner
the
known as the "ordinary" ellipse. Let ellipse student, for mnemonic purposes, think of the finger with 1 as starting the "low" curve, and low number as starting 4 or 5 with the high number finger
whole
is
-
the
the
the
and Some arpeggios also are exceptions. But to scale-playing. Let him in the meantime the student may follow that rule. keep in mind the gentle thumb-slide mentioned at the end of
is
"high" curve. This rule seen when the curve-line
is
not an invariable one,
as will be
applied to
the
figure-eight,
Sec. XXXVII.
Ex.
XXX.
12354
12543
12354
54312
No.
1.
No.
2.
No.
3.
5123
5321
No.
5.
No.
6.
80
12354
No.
1.
12543
No.
2.
12354
No.
3.
54312
No.
4.
s
after
1
5123
5321
No.
6. 5.
No.
If
any note-pattern in either clef in the above set be compared with the one in the other clef bearing the same number, the two will be found to have the same order of They may therefore be practised with both hands fingering.
simultaneously,
separately.
they have been
made
perfect with both
The student
start
will note that, in
rule given at the beginning of this
accordance with the general section, Nos. 4, 5, and 6
with the upper-curve.

In all the
above examples
of the ellipse divided unequally,
Pronation and Supination of the fore-arm come much into This pianistic resource, the importance of which Steinplay. hausen and Matthay have drawn attention to, does away to
a great extent with the exaggerated muscular-tension of hand and arm caused by stretching the fingers apart unnecessarily.
The
amount of pronation and supination needed for the avoidance of this unnecessary stretch Varies according as the The hand with an easy stretch size and build of hand vary.
between the fingers and a good breadth across the knuckles, make less effort than will either the narrow hand or the hand with tightly bound knuckle-joints. But even
in the
will naturally
there
case of the hand endowed with a naturally easy stretch much less ought to be no attempt made to curb
81
eliminate
of the
the free
and gentle swaying or waving movement

of the
hand which
this delicate rotary-action
fore-arm
to
creates.
The note-patterns
the intervals of the
little
in
the above set
with their exact curve-figures are

sixth,
Nos.
the
3,
most difficult In 5, and 6.

octave
will
fit
these,
seventh,
this,
is
and
cause a
trouble.
To minimise
the
wrist
must be raised
considerably while the hand

In
supinated.
whole of the upper-curve of the ellipse and in No. 6, is executed between the first and second note the whole of the lower-curve between the last note and Between the moments at which the first and fifth the first. fingers in these two note-patterns sound their "contiguous" notes, the wrist-centre must travel along the curve-line at
No.
5,
;
increased speed,
if
the rhythm of
This
alternate
quickening and
is
the figure be kept intact. slackening of the speed at

to
which
the
the
wrist-centre
made
travel
round
allowed
the
to
line
(circumference) of the ellipse must
not
be
alter
form
of that line.
SECTION
In the note-patterns hitherto
45.
UNEQUAL CURVE-LENGTHS.
described,
the
curves
fitted
them have been the upper and lower ones of the elliptic and both of these are of equal dimension. But in figure piano-music there are many note-patterns which an Equality between the out-going and the returning curves will not fit. Such note-patterns are found in passages of a sequential
to
;
type proceeding either up or
down the keyboard: Sec. 47. In a sequential series of n ote - patterns if the note played in any curve by the thumb lies between the extreme notes of either the preceWilliam Townsend, Modern
Piano-Teaching.
82
ding or the following curve, the size of any two contiguous curves in the series will be unequal.
The two
understood.
In the
following examples will make this more easily upper-curves a discrepancy will be noticed
to left between the direction in which the arrow points from and that in which the printed notes follow each other in which the The arrow points in the direction left to right. wrist-centre travels at that moment.
No.
1.
235321
UPPER
5321 UPPER
R.H.
In the
above ascending sequence, the seventh quaver

lies
G-
between the extreme notes
of the
preceding
curve, namely,
-: thus,
No.
2.
R. H.
In a similar
manner
in
the fourth quaver
in
the
descending sequence
treme notes of the
example No.
2,
lies
between the ex-
following
curve
namely
83
SECTION
An
46.
important point must be noted in connection with the for instance, If, Inequality of these contiguous wrist-curves.
123454321
the
following
figure
is
lower-curve,
played with the fingering given, between the extreme
it
will
be seen that
the
interval
in the
notes,
of
and A) has to be traversed, using the (between from 1st to 5th; while in the upper-curve fingers consecutively (from A down to D), the interval between the extreme notes The time-distance from each note of the is only a fifth. to the next is equal throughout, and the time occupied figure
in traversing
ninth
the
lower-curve
is
equal
to
that
occupied
in
the number of notes in both curves traversing the upper But in the lower-curve, the five piano-keys the same. being
touched are
in the
order of "every alternate
one"
while
in
the upper-curve they are contiguous. Therefore, the speed travelled at by the wrist-centre during the lower-curve is
If the above greater than that travelled at during the upper. be played, and the size of its lower-curve (outlined by figure the wrist between and A) be compared with that of its
upper (outlined between A and D), it will be seen that the upper-curve-line is about half the length of the lower one.
In other
quickly
It
in the
is
words, the wrist will move along about lower-curve as it will in the upper.
twice
as
hoped
is
this reason, that
that the student will prove this ocularly; if he thinks he sees that such is not
for
the
is
case,
he
executing the rolling-arm-motion wrongly.

6*
He
84^
then probably stretching the fingers sideways from each other too much during the lower-curve, thus using the muscles
hand too actively, instead of keeping the latter (the hand) comparatively passive, and allowing it to be drawn gently round by means of the action (on the whole arm) of
of the
muscles near the shoulder
Sec. 37, last paragraph.
There
is
a certain natural tendency in the student,
even
when he
is
merely glancing
at
passages
which the printed notes are not contiguous

on the piano are not contiguous
such as
(note-patterns) in that is, the keys
to think that the best
way
to execute these
is
to
actively stretch
of the printed
roll
appearance hand. But a

hand,
the "open" the hand and fingers music suggesting an actively opened
of
the
arm
will
any more than
comparatively
obviate the necessity for passive action of the

"
stretch-betweenconsequently reduce the to a minimum. This comparative passivity furthers the-fingers"

will
which
the correct distribution of

feeling of ease to the
the production
Weight to the keys, and gives a hand and arm. It also tends to of the finest legato-tone.
SECTION
The
sequential
is
-
47.
- -
type
of.
note of any curve

of the previous
not
-
in which the last note-pattern of the same pitch as the first note
pianoSeeing that in a sequence, each pattern must be higher or lower in pitch than the preceding one, a consequent feature of every sequence is: Progression up or down the keyboard. In order to bring this about, the
music.
repetition of the note-
one
is
of
common
occurrence
in
two curves
fitted to
the sequence
must be
of
unequal
length.
85
one curve must necessarily be longer than the other. The length of each curve depends on the distance on the keyboard between the two extreme notes of the pattern, and the interval between
either
When
hand ascends or descends, the
the last note of one pattern and the first note of the following one. Some examples will show this.
UPPER
R. H.
UPPER
LOWER
LOWER
LOWER
LOWER
L.
H.
UPPER
LOWER
When
to
LOWER
the right hand plays a hand an ascending one, the
an "ordinary" ellipse
left
descending sequence, or the
- of greater interval upper-curve must necessarily be longer - - than the between its limit notes returning lower one. The
following examples
show
this.
86
UPPER
R. H.
UPPER
LOWER
UPPER
LOWER
UPPER
UPPER
LOWER
CHAPTER
XI.
THE ELLIPSE WITH IRREGULAR THE ELLIPSE IN FINGERING,
COMPOUND MOTION,
SECTION
In all the
it
48.
exercises which the student has as yet practised will be noticed that, in each curve, the fingering proceeds
1
"regularly" from
in
to 5 either directly or in a series of

;
numbers
1
ascending
of
order of magnitude
and from 5
order
1
:
to
either
directly or in a series in
descending
that
is, in the
sequence
numbers leading up from
to 5,
each
number
after 5,
was higher than the preceding one; in the sequence each number was lower. An example of the converse
is
of this
seen
in the
following passage
1432
R. H.
5234
where the order
of the
numbers
is
"irregular."
In
accordance
with the general rule given at the beginning of Sec. 44, the lower-curve in this passage will be executed while 1, 4, 3,
2,
is
played,
and the upper-curve while
5,
2,
3,
4,
is
played.
Graphically this will be represented so:

If
this
given for the right
diagram be compared with that hand in Sec. 31, it will

in the
latter,
be seen
that,
the
lower-curve
88
is played order of
to
series
of
numbers
the
(fingering)
to
in
ascending
series
in
magnitude,
and
upper-curve
descending order. The diagram given in this section institutes therefore a departure from that manner, and shows that a
sequence of numbers (fingering) in descending order of magnitude (4, 3, 2) may be played to a lower-curve, and one in ascending order (2, 3, 4) to an upper. Seeing that between 1 and 5
there
lower-curve as there
the same number of notes on the on the upper, and that the last note leads directly back to the first, the upper and lower-curves will together make an endless figure, and its whole line will be equally divided.
is
in the
diagram
is
This same note-pattern might be executed as follows
R. H.
LOWER
that
LOWER
But the more two rolls of
is, with six rolls of unequal curve-lengths. economical way to execute it is to fit it with
equal length
89
matter may be had if he will practise the exercises given in Each of the 24 "changes" contains two the following table. curve-lines of unequal length; and all the possible inequalities are contained in the table. They must be practised in
every major and
minor key,
to
the
following
note-pattern
12345
and also according

five variants
to
the pattern of the
given in Sec. 42.
Ex.
XXXI.
90
those in which also
of highest
it
travels at
in
its
lowest.
of
and lowest occurs

in
twelve
This juxtaposition In the changes.
the remaining twelve, the inequality between the speed of the
two curves
each
ellipse is less
marked.
the
roll-difficulties
After the student
has
mastered
met
with in playing the series of 24 permutations given above,
(or "changes")
he must
first
combine them
in
all
Playing the
one
hand, let him to this left-hand, each of
with the right12345 constant 12345 play, with the

the
possible
ways.
24
in turn.
This alone
will give
24 combinations. If this plan be carried out similarly with each of the twenty-four, a series of 576 (24x24) combinations will be obtained. Many of these will be found to be of unexpected difficulty. If carefully studied, they will smooth away for the student some of the brain-worries to be met with in the works of that master of Combination, J. S. Bach.
is
A curious type of irregularity of fingering the following note-patterns presented by

Ex.
XXXII.
234543
No. 1
R. H.
To make the quavers sound as legato as possible they must be played with the arm-rolling-motion to an "ordinary" The reiterated G in both examples must not be ellipse.
line.
allowed to interfere with the perfection of The student will have some trouble
difficulty.
the
in
wrist
curvethis
mastering
A
left
still
more troublesome problem

1
for
him
to solve is the
in
playing of No.
in the
right-hand along
with No. 2
the
the latter taken
two octaves lower.
This
is
a difficult
91
"
example
less
of
Compound
and
parallel
motion"
be
left
treated
until
of
in
the
following section,
had
better
some
of
the
complex examples there have been studied.
SECTION
At the end of Sec. 36,
will find a
in
49.
COMPOUND MOTION.
method of Such a note-pattern as the following
No. 3 of Ex. XVIII., the student outlining the ellipse termed compound:
pa
1 1
1.
UPPER
LOWER
which appears, in notation, as parallel motion, is played with In Sec. 36 it was said a compound-parallel rolling-motion. that the compound nature of the motion is produced when the lower-curve of the ellipse in the one hand is executed
simultaneously with the upper-curve
will
in the other.
The student
44 the beginning "general" rule was given that the lower-curve starts with the low -numbered finger, and the upper-curve with the high.
perhaps
recollect
that
at
the
of Sec.
This refers to either hand.
It
will
be seen
1,
that, in the
left
above
note-pattern, the right-hand starts with and that at the "half-bar" this order
and the
reversed.
is
with 5; The bar
therefore starts with a lower-curve in the right-hand and an upper in the left; and this is reversed in the latter half of
the bar.
If
given
in Ex. XVIII.,
the student has mastered the four pairs of outlines Sec. 36, with all the combinations there
into the
recommended, he will have little difficulty in falling knack of executing this seemingly complex arm-roll.
92
note-pattern given above, the ellipse traversed - there being the during the eight notes in "divided equally" same number of equal-length notes between the outer figures
of both curves,
In
the
namely
three.
Ex. XXXIII.
Good
material for the cultivation of
com-
pound-parallel arm-roll may be got by using the combinations mentioned in the last paragraph of Ex. XXXI. In the combinations for this
complex arm-motion
In
all
the
changes
must be
in
played
the
using the
same notes simultaneously

each
of the
both hands.
right.
changes the figures used in

in
left-hand will therefore
occur
different
order
will
For example, the appear so

:
first
of the original
24
the Sec. 48 in
12345
UPPER
54321
CHAPTER
XII.
THE "REVERSED" THE LOOP, ELLIPSE, THE FIGURE-EIGHT,

SECTION
The
50.
note-patterns as yet demonstrated have been of that type to which it is possible to fit a pair of either equal or
unequal curve-lines,
one
returning upon
in part.
that
is,
of the curves in each pair the other either wholly or only

the
limit
- -
In the note-pattern thus fitted,

of
the last finger
the
outgoing
in
curve
finger is also the
curve travelling contrary direction a lower-curve being "answered" by an upper, or vice versa.
starting finger of a
similarly "answering" direction will have been observed in the notation of each of the patterns previously given.
But
in a scale of
more than nine
notes,
and
in the
extended
arpeggio of more than two octaves, (see Chap. XIV.) the whole passage contains several contiguous note-patterns proceeding
in the
same
direction.
94^
In each of the
above examples
will
be seen three of such
Each note-pattern must be "joined" to the note-patterns. one if the passage is played legato; and it is the following duty of the arm while pivoting on the first-finger (the thumb) to make this "join" by means of a curve-form called the Loop. This feature was first drawn attention to by Clark-Steiniger in his treatise, "Die Lehre des einheitlichen Kunstmittels beim
Klavierspiel," published in 1885.
SECTION
The movement made
and
delicate twist
it
51.
is
in
executing the Loop
a very small
rotary
movement
of the fore-arm,
made
and the upper-arm are simultaneously moving slowly sideways, either away from or towards the body. The movement appears to be focussed at the wrist. While the loop is
while
being made, the first-finger (the thumb) is always in the act of holding down a key; and the arm turns on the thumb as
on a
pivot.
realise
the
following diagrams may help the student to outline of the loop as "drawn" by the hidden
No.l.
The
centre of the wrist.
Ascending.
TorK.H. orL.H.
ToTll.H. OT L
.H.
The figure 1 has been placed inside the loop to keep the student in mind of the fact that it is on the first-finger the
thumb - - that the twist of the loop is made that is, the loop is made while the first-finger is holding down its key,
:
and not before

If
that
key has reached low-level.

they
the student examine the above diagrams he will notice
that,
with the exception of the small loop,
contain
upper-curves
only.
He
will notice also that, these
95
curves
in the
and
the
in the
right-hand ascending scale travel to the right, left-hand descending scale to the left: in both
cases, therefore, in the direction
away from
that,
the
in
centre of
ellipse
keyboard.
And he
all
will
recollect
the
upper-curves when coupled with toneproduction have proceeded, in both right and left-hand, in the direction towards the centre of the keyboard. The reason
previously
taught,
for this
change here
is
that,
if
the loop
is
"entered" from an
upper-curve instead of from a lower, the hand, on completion of the loop, is then in the best position for being guided in the direction (up or down the keyboard) in which
the note-patterns
succeed each other

better
in the scale
This
itself
will
is
be understood
:
when
52.
the
making
or arpeggio. of the loop
explained
Sec. 53.
SECTION
Ex.
to play
THE "REVERSED" ELLIPSE. XXXIV. The student must first accustom

an
ellipse in
left left
himself
in the
which the
up per- curve
In the
is
made
direction from
to right with the right-hand,
and conversely,
of
from right to
the
with the left-hand.
lower- curve
move
same
ellipse both hands will

of the
therefore
towards
He must
the centre
keyboard
see Sec. 36, Ex. XIV.
practise the following note-pattern
according to the curve-diagram here given
R.H.
The unusual "reversed"
feeling in the hand,
caused partly
by playing a fingering represented by a series of numbers in to an 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ascending order of magnitude from the centre upper-curve made in the direction
away
of the keyboard, will
away
times
if the student, these upper-curves, will turn the "outside especially during edge" of both his wrists in the direction along the keyboard from the centre. This pose of hand and arm some-
be got rid of more quickly
known
as the
a great extent of the thumb in scale
does away to "Deppe" hand-position with the necessity for an active turn-under
playing;
that
if
is
to
say,
less
of
an
active turn-under is necessary,
the wrist be turned
sideways,
wish
as
above
- playing to abolish
It is impossible in scaledescribed. as some modern writers would seem to
all Activity on the part

if
of the first-finger (the
thumb),
seeing that, even
beyond
R. H.
that
which
2
1
the latter proceeds to a key only one the second finger has just been holding, as
it
cannot have arrived there

activity of its
(in
legatoin other
playing) without
some
own
muscles:
words, without a turn-under.

rect to consider the act
It would perhaps be more corwhich brings the point of the thumb
arpeggio passages (right-hand ascending, or left-hand descending) as partly a thumb-action, and partly an arm-action.
on
to
its
key
in scale or
The above-mentioned unusual

that,
feeling in the
hand while
the
fact
executing this "reversed" ellipse, arises also in putting a key down with the thumb,
from
it
is
easier
for
that finger to
approach and depress the key when the wristis descending on a curve-line than when ascending centre on one. But in this "reversed" ellipse the thumb approaches its key at the conclusion of a curve starting on the Descent.
97
This particular approach is used to be explained figure-eight
in
one of the halves
of the
It
later
on
Sec.
54.
is
mentioned here also because
it
is
found
in the
complementary
(lower) curve of the ellipse whose upper-curve is the arm-roll used so much in scale-playing; see end of Sec. 51.
Some
preliminary practice for this the student he will transpose into every key - - major and
note-pattern
may
obtain
- -
if
minor
the
In a given at the beginning of this section. "reversed" ellipse the thumb does need to slide on its key. The student may here practise the noteEx. XXXV.
in thirds and sixths given at the end of Sec. 42, in this case them now to the reversed ellipse, or playing reversed "circle." This manner of more correctly speaking playing them will be found necessary when "double" scales
patterns
come
see Chap. XVII. illustrations for their curves

to
:
be studied
The
following are the
UPPER UPPER
x=
R. H.
4 1
LOWER
523
LOWER >
UPPER
345 112
L.H.
LOWER
SECTION
for
53.
Ex. XXXVI. Perhaps the easiest preparatory exercise making the Loop will be the following William Townsend, Modern Piano-Teaching. 7
:
98
1.
2.
Hold down any white key with the thumb. With both fore-arm and upper-arm moving
spherical wrist-outline of fairly large in the following directions
:
conjointly,
size,
make a
and
L.H.
These are used

While making
in scales
hand ascending,
3.
and arpeggios for the right and the left descending.
this circular wrist-outline
add
to
it
a slight
rotary action of the fore-arm, supinating the hand while the upper half of the circle is being outlined, and pronating
it
hands.
4.
on the lower half. See Sec. 18.
This
last
remark applies
to
both
For the
right-hand descending, and ascending, the following are the diagrams

i.H.
the
:
left
R.H.
The
hand takes place here on the lower-curve of the circumference, and the pronation on the upper-curve. While the wrist-centre is thus revolving round an imaginary centre the hand itself submits to these fragmentary rotary movements of the fore-arm.
supination of the
student's
greatest
difficulty
is,
The
and
at
will
be
found
at
the
"outsides" of these circles; that
at
East for the right hand,

supination
West
:
for
the
left,
where
In
merges
a line
into
pronation
or
vice
versa.
the
diagrams,
the
99
"equator"
-
has been drawn from E.
to
W.
the right hand, and W. in the left, there must during the change from supination to pronation.
At point E. in be no jerk
The change
both wrists, just before these points on the circumference are reached. Therefore, it must begin near the point at which the wrists reach their outermost position. This
must begin,
in
the
"Deppe" hand-position
capable of going. It is one, however, in which it ought not to remain fixed, seeing that the hand and arm ought always to be "on the move."
it
foregoing section. of the extreme limits to which
has been spoken of This outermost position of hand

-
in the
is
one
is
But
to
neglect to proceed to this limit
while
practising
to
this
circle
would prevent the student from being able
change
gently from Supination to Pronation while using the Loop. As the student acquires more facility in making this delicate change he must also reduce the size of the
circumferential outline
made by
- -
the wrist.
This must be done

the circle,
of
gradually,
is
until the
action of the wrist,

is
when making
reduced
to
minimum
almost invisible.
See end
Sec. 35.
25 and 26, he connected by the loop. diagrams upper-curves In that Section it was given as a tracing for the arm. Let
If
the student will refer to Sec. 26, Figs.

of four
will see
line is
him keep in mind, when playing the "drawn" by the hidden centre
58.
In the practical application
scale, that this loop out-
of
the
wrist
see the
latter half of Sec.
of the loop
for the right descending, or the of sliding the fingers across the
to scale-playing, left-hand ascending, the act thumb - - the loop-finger -
from one note-pattern position

the
to
another
is
accomplished
at
part of the loop just when the next uppercurve begins for the following note-pattern of the scale. The
very last
physical feeling at this
moment
is
as
if
the fore
part
of
7*
the
100
hand
action
- -
the knuckle
and
finger part
pivoted across the keys by
means
of
the
were being swiftly thumb's leverage-
on
its
key.
The whole
of
of this
complicated act requires
the student's concentrated attention, the
as
loop
the
finish
scale-playing
on the perfection of and arpeggio-playing

in the
greatly depends.
In the
descending R. H. scale and
the
act of Supination is in the Loop, in the upper-curves.

In
and
that
ascending L. H. of Pronation
making an applied use

it
of
the
Loop
of the
that
is,
in
applying
practically in
in
Scales and Arpeggios
the student
figure
must bear
mind
that of the
two sides
(,
and)
the one
is
the
of the upper-curve
concluding part, and the other the beginning used for the note-patterns of Scales and
Arpeggios.
following
This
may be more
is
:
diagram, which
easily that for
understood
from
the
the Right-hand in
an
ascending
scale or arpeggio
This diagram
-
in
which the figures indicate the fingering

Left-hand
are
the
in a
will serve also for the

if
descending scale or
as
pointing
in
arpeggio,
the
arrows
considered
figures
the the
opposite direction,
reverse sides.
and
12
be
placed
on
Seeing
descending,
that,
in the
Right-hand ascending or the Left-hand
wrist-centre is in the act of travelling the upper-curves used for note-patterns in the scale or along arpeggio, the hand is Supinating, and that the loop is the
the
while
101
itself
connecting link between two of these upper-curves, the Loop cannot be made without some Pronation of the hand.
It
has
the
been
said
- -
Sec. 51
that the
loop
is
made
after
thumb has depressed
its
key, and before the next
key is depressed by the following finger. It will be understood from this that, even in a moderately quick scale or arpeggio, the wrist-centre must travel over the line of the loop at a
high speed.
The
or arpeggio are the lower-arm,

delicately.
acts of pronation of course
and supination as used
in the scale
and
must
entirely fragmentary Rotations of be imagined and executed most
The following is a detailed description of the arm-andhand action used while connecting the upper-curves of a scale of more than one octave - - or of an arpeggio of more than
t
octaves for the right-hand ascending, or the left-hand descending. The following diagrams must be carefully referred to by the student
:
wo
Hold at low-level any white key with the thumb of either hand, and execute a wrist curve-line of circular shape. While
doing so count
moderately slowly. Begin the circling wrist-movement at point E in the rightin the left. Count ONE just as the hand, and at point
ONE
TWO
movement
begins.
When
the wrist-centre has
concluded
the
half of the circumference,
and
just
as point
in the right-
102
left are reached, count TWO, and with the second finger of the rightsimultaneously depress hand the white key lying immediately above the one held
hand and point E
in
the
down by
hand
the
the thumb,
and
with the second finger of the
left-
immediately Keep key depressed until the complete upper half of the circumference has been traversed, and then allow the second-finger to let
its
white
key
below.
this
key
rise
to
point
circle
high-level.
left
in the
have
Point E in the right-hand, and now been reached, and the whole
completed. must be particularly noticed that the putting down of the key with the second-finger has a strong tendency to break
It
the continuity of the wrist-movement. This it must not be allowed to do as on the absolute perfection of the unbroken circle the ultimate speed and equality of the scale or arpeggio. depend
:
Repeat the exercise many times, the thumb held continuously.

a detailed description of the arm-andhand action used while connecting the upper-curves of a scale
following
is
The
of
t
more than
one
octave,
or of an arpeggio
of
more than
wo
octaves, for the right-hand descending,
or the left-hand
carefully referred
ascending.
to
The following diagrams must be

:
by the student
Hold at low-level any white key with the thumb of either hand and execute a wrist curve-line of circular shape. While
doing so count
ONE
TWO
- -
slowly.
103_
in the rightBegin the circling wrist-movement at point Count ONE just as the and at point E in the left. hand, When the wrist-centre has concluded the movement begins.
half of the circumference,
and
left
hand and point
just
as
point
in the right-
in the
are
reached,
count
TWO,
and
simultaneously depress with the third-finger of the right-hand the white key lying immediately below the one held down by the thumb, and with the third-finger of the left-hand the
key depressed complete upper half of the circumference has been traversed, and then allow the third-finger to let its key rise to high-level. Point in the right hand, and point E in the
key
immediately
white
above.
Keep
this
until the
reached, and the whole circle completed. must be particularly noticed that the putting down of It the key with the third finger has a strong tendency to break the continuity of the wrist-movement. This it must not be allowed to do; as on the absolute perfection of the unbroken
left
have
now been
circle
depend the ultimate speed and equality

exercise
of the scale or
arpeggio.
The same
fourth-finger in each
must be practised using now hand instead of the third.
the
SECTION 54. THE FIGURE -EIGHT.

In
pianistic
motion,
circles,
the
term
acceptation, "
as
applied
to
the
arm-rolling-
Figure-eight"
of
signifies
two
to
contiguous
side
ellipses, or
pear-shaped figures placed
laterally
by note-pattern particular type As the figure-eight is figure-eight is fitted, returns on itself. of a "dual" nature, the note-pattern which requires that special form of curve must necessarily contain something of a dual
nature also.
side.
The
which the
The
following are note-patterns of this type.
104
Ex.
XXXVII.
1232
1323
1234
1232
No.
3.
the following diagram illustrates the figure-eight curveform, giving the direction in which .the wrist-centre travels.
And
When the wrist-centre, travelling along the upper-curve of either ellipse, reaches the point which touches the periphery of the other ellipse it enters that other and travels along the
curve
in
it
opposite to the curve

this clearer:
in
the
quitted.
its
To make
When
ellipse it has just the wrist-curve finishes
journey along the upper-curve of ellipse B in the above diagram, it then, without stop, enters the lower-curve of A.
The same takes place when passing from ellipse A to B. The student will note that while, for the right-hand,
lower-curve its ordinary" nature from left to right - - ellipse A is the "reversed" proceeding form mentioned in Sec. 52 - - the lower-curve proceeding from The arrangement is of course reversed in the right to left. case of the left hand: ellipse B being then nearest the centre of the keyboard, and thus becoming the "reversed" one. The sinuous character of the movement demands an uninterrupted
ellipse
is
of
the
"
rotary-action of the fore-arm, causing pronation and supination of the hand.
105
SECTION
The student
in the
55.
see that in each of the note-patterns section there is one note - - that played previous given the first-finger - - round which the pattern by the thumb
will
This central note in the patterns corresponds to the central point in the figure-eight (diagram) where the one ellipse touches the other.
may be
said to
revolve.
An
is
analysis of the curves of the above three note-patterns
here given.
1
12321323
R. to L.
L. to R.
No.
UPPER
UPPER
LOWER
>
L.toR.
LOWER
<
R.to L.
L. to R.
R. to L.
No. 2
UPPER
UPPER
LOWER
R. to L.
LOWER
L. to R.
L. to R.
R. to L.
No. 3
UPPER
UPPER
LOWER
L. to R.
LOWER
R. to L.
The
the curve
letters
- -
to L,
to R, indicate the direction in whicfi

- -
whether lower or upper
travels.
From
these
106
"
it
will
be noted that
while in Nos.
1
in
No. 2
it
the
first;
and 3
comes
reversed" ellipse comes last. The student will
that Nos.
in
accordingly understand that No. 2 begins with ellipse A; and 1 and 3 begin with ellipse B. He will also see that,
ellipse
of
these three note-patterns, the first only one in which are to be found
No. 2
curves.
is
the
unequal
As
No.
to
1
to
the
limits
of
its
notational
dimension,
example
may be considered
it
which
would
is
as one of the smallest note-patterns be practical to fit the figure-eight, while

of the largest
R. to L.
:
the following
one
L. to R.
No. 4
1234548214321234
UPPER
UPPER
L. to R-
Corresponding note-patterns for the left-hand those given above are the following
:
for
two
of
L. to R.
UPPER
No.
LOWER
R. to L.
LOWER
L. to R.
12321323
UPPER
No. 4
UPPER
=^^
LOWER
^fc=
1234543214321234
LOWER
107
The student must remember

and a left-hand figure-eight,
lying
that
in
is
both
right-hand
ellipse
used for the notes
the keyboard than the central note of the pattern. Also, that the figureeight need not be fitted to any note-pattern has a central note played by the thumb.
lower
downon
unless the latter
The student
is
recommended
to construct for himself note-
patterns of various sizes to which the figure-eight may be fitted. Let him, while trying to do so, always begin with the "central" note, played by the thumb.
CHAPTER
XIII.
THE SCALE.
SECTION
In
56.
already
scale-playing
all
the
curve-forms
described
are
made use
to
ellipse,
of; namely, the "ordinary" ellipse, the "reversed" the loop, and the figure-eight. An attempt will now
be made
1
show when
these ought to be employed.
When
a scale of one octave,
having for
its
limit fingers
and 5 (or 1 and 4) and containing a central "thumb-note", returns on itself, it is played by means of the Figure-eight. The following examples will make this clear Ex. XXXVIII.
:
.
Right Hand. Central
Note: F.
R. H.
i)
Left
Hand.
12341
UPPER
2 3
43214321
UPPER
Central
Note: E.
109
L.
H.
In
both of these examples
the second and
third
curves
first
(lower and upper) constitute the "ordinary" ellipse; while the and last (or rather, last and first) make the "reversed"
ellipse.
Three
notes
of
the
"repeat"
have
been
added
in
order to
ellipse.
show the connection of the two curves The beginnings of these scales thus
the
of this reversed
give
of
examples
ellipse:
of starting
arm have some "way on" before the first upper-curve, the arm and hand may be starting allowed to fall gently on the first note of the scale, somewhat
see Ex. XLII.
after the following
note-pattern To let the
in
the "middle"
an
See Bandmann
page
51.
graphic illustration: "Gewichtstechnik,"
The loop shown here is advisable, seeing that the first curve of the scale itself and the curve made by the fall of the
arm
antecedent
to the
first
note
of
the
scale
are both upper ones,
and must be joined by a continuous movement of the arm. An ellipse - - whether ordinary or reversed - - is said to be
entered from
its
"beginning" when the
first
curve
played
fall
is
the lower one.
When
this is the case,
the antecedent
of
the
arm
is
continued directly
that
is,
without loop
into
the lower-curve of the ellipse, whether the latter be an ordinary or a reversed one.
Ex. XXXIX. The one-octave figure-eight scale ought to be worked at with the "C" fingering beginning on each of the five black keys, in both major and minor mode. Let the student practise each hand separately
--12312345:
the
first-finger
at first
- -
the left-hand
beginning
with
(the
110
thumb) and proceeding
downwards:
:
then with both hands

in
is
and lastly, simultaneously in contrary-motion When the one-octave figure-eight scale motion.
parallel-motion,
parallel-
both wrists will rise and

that,
played in fall simulis
taneously,
a
seeing
or
while
- -
the
of
one hand
of
executing
curve
upper
at
lower
the
other
hand executes
the
same curve
will
ordinary ellipse, the the reversed ellipse.
trial
the
keyboard
convince the student that

but
this is so.
When
is
the one-octave scale does not return on
itself,
written in the following

R. H.
manner
No.
1.
1315
No.
2.
13
one half
of the figure-eight
-
in
order
over
to
fit
this
particular
by the wrist-centre more quickly than the other half. The following diagrams illustrate respectively the above two numbers.
note-pattern
must be travelled
These are cases

equally as to speed
portion
:
in
which the figure-eight
is
divided unline
is
see Sec. 43.

the
The
dotted
at
the
over
which
wrist-centre
travels
the
higher
speed.
Ill
SECTION
Ex. XL.
scales in
57.
The student may now oegin those one-octave

,
, ,
which it is necessary to make use of the Loop. These are, B^7 E^7 Al7 and C# major and minor for both hands; Fir minor for both hands; and F# major for the
left-hand
(FJf
major for the right-hand may be best played
with the fingering the "central" note.) But of all these, A^7 and B^7 being 7 major and minor for the right-hand, and A^ and Fit major 7 7 and minor and B^ and E^ minor for the left, are the only
of the figure-eight
by means
-
12312345
ones that need be specially studied, seeing that each of the remaining ones is similar to one or other of these here selected.
In the
hand,
the
one-octave A^7 scale, major or minor, for the rightlies more equidistant C or C^7 Loop-note
than
to
it
the B^7 scale,
from the top and bottom notes of the scale and is therefore in a position
does
in
mastered.
line
of
A diagram is here given which the wrist-centre traverses A^7 major.

A.
be more easily of the right-hand curvein
the
one-octave scale
F
1
a
2
The
notation of this
is
3412312 3213214
112
The arrow-heads
which the
in the
diagram indicate the direction
in
line is traversed
by the wrist-centre.
The
of the
curve-line has been
drawn directly in front
keys touched during the scale, though the centre of the

is
wrist
not always actually in front of any key at the
moment
outward
of that key's depression.
This
is
the result of
that
pose of wrist spoken of before as favouring the passing underneath of the Thumb: Sec. 52 and 53. When the right-
hand is in this outward position the wrist itself is really farther along in the direction of the top of the keyboard than the finger-tips are, and the line of the outside of the arm and
outside edge of the palm of the hand become more nearly a straight line see "Die Deppe'sche Lehre des A similar Klavierspiels" by both F. Klose, and E. Caland.
that along th
;
outward pose
for the left-arm

:
and hand
is
of
course
in the
reverse direction
of the keyboard.
If
that
is, in the
direction towards the bottom
the student will examine,
the
two
the diagram given above, curve-lines used in playing the portion of the scale
in
o
1
-f
from
C upwards:
Uu u
ellipse,
*-*
"
I 3
-t
I*
f f
notice
I*
that the
underneath
curve in the diagram
is
the upper-
curve of a "reversed"
and
that,
before the descent
of the scale is begun, this curve sweeps down and then It round into the upper-curve of an ordinary ellipse. is
during this "sweep-round" of the curve that the extreme outer
position of hand, wrist,
and arm
is
entered and
left.
14341
b
The lower
part of the scale:
----F===
;
is
played
to the curve-lines of a reversed ellipse

will understand, the lines
though, as the student

real ellipse.
do not here form a
113
In the
one-octave scale
- -
of
B?
major
or
minor for the

of the
right-hand, the loop-note

scale.
The diagram
of its
second degree curve-line will therefore be

:
- - is the
1 >
A
show
comparison
of the
A^7 diagram
time
in
with
this
is
of
^ will
in it
that the reversed curve at the
beginning
smaller
the latter.
There
there
is
thus less
which
-
to
execute
;
The loop
proximity
motion,
of the
also lies close to the bottom of the scale

of
and the
the
two "twists"
the
B^
other a rotary one scale unusually troublesome.
the one a revolving renders the lower portion
When
playing
minor,
will
the student has mastered the one-octave scales of

will
A^7 and B^7 for the right-hand he

7
have
no
difficulty
in
with the same hand E^ and Cft, both major and and Fit minor. In CS major a swift "sweep-round" be needed at the top of the scale from the upper-curve
the
of the
reversed ellipse to the upper-curve of Let the student make sure that his ellipse.
participates delicately in this
ordinary
upper-arm
movement.
58.
scales beginning these there are
SECTION
Ex.
XL
I.
The left-hand one-octave
with a black key

six,
may now be
studied.
Of
7 namely, A^ and F ft major and minor, William Townsend, Modern Piano-Teaching.
and B^7 and E?
114
minor. All the conditions given for playing the right-hand one-octave scales apply equally to the left-hand scales. The student had better begin with B^ minor, as its loopnote - - F lies more nearly in the middle of the scale than
-
the loop-note in any of the other scales.

-
The E^ minor
minor
scales.
scale
with
its
loop-note
the
C^
may
major
then be studied.
After that
may come
A^7 and
FJf
and
These
last four have the loop-note at the top of the scale. The remarks made in the preceding section with regard to the one-octave scale of B^7 major and minor for the right-hand, where the loop-note was at the bottom of the scale, apply equally to these last four scales for the left-hand, in which
the loop-note
is
at the
is
o p.
here given of the left-hand curve-line diagram which the wrist-centre traverses in the one-octave scale of
Bi7 minor.
'
The
notation of this
is
3412312132143
All the
remarks made
in Sec.
57
in
connection
with the
scale-curve diagrams with regard to outer-position of wrist, ordinary and reversed ellipses, etc.. apply equally to the left-
115
The student must hand scale and diagram given above. remember that the upper part of the left-hand scale corresponds
to the
lower part of the right-hand

e
scale.
The student, for the sake make an exhaustive study of the

has been described
the
in
of the left-hand scale,

1
must
This
f t
h a n d
loop.
Sec. 53.
To make
himself master of
complex act of a fragmentary rotation of the fore-arm combined with a delicate revolution of the wrist-centre round both of these movements being involved an imaginary centre
in the
he ought at first to practise both hands simultaneously for some time. This practice is done on any key held down continuously with the thumb see end
making
of the loop -
of Sec. 53.
When
of
this
has been
made
perfect
this
left-hand loop alone.

of the
Following
he may then may come the
try the
practice
parallel -motion of the two wrist-centres; the combining loop in one hand with the two ellipses ordinary
;
and reversed - - and the various figure-eights in the other and also combining the loop in one hand with a free swing made by the other arm from one part of the keyboard to
another.
The
student
who
has the will-power
to
withstand
and overcome the peculiar nerve-irritation aroused by these muscular combinations will add greatly to the freedom of his technique. See Sec. 50, 51, 52 and 53.
SECTION 59. THE SCALE OF MORE THAN ONE OCTAVE.

The
distinctive feature of the scale containing
is
more than
one octave
the use
made
,
of a
Loop
to
connect note-patterns
played to upper-curves of the ordinary ellipse while the righthand is d e|s c e n d n g and the left-hand ascending
i
the scale.
The Loop employed
in Sec.
57
was
that
used
8*
to
116
connect note-patterns
in the left
in
the
right-hand
ascending,
-
and
descending.
1 1.
Ex.
XL
In
two-octave
of
scale
-
for
either
is
hand,
when
in
fingered like the scale

in
the
Loop
used twice
ascending and twice
descending.
3
In the following notation
the Loop-notes are indicated by a cross.
IT
5=1
An
1.
analysis of the scale shows five note-patterns The first three notes of the above scale are
:
played
to
2.
the upper-curve of a "reversed" ellipse. From the first F up to the first B is played to a similar
upper-curve.
3.
From
12
the second
C up
all
:
to top
is
C and down
to
notes
in
played
again to F curve of the
following pattern
4.
From E down
"ordinary"
to
C
to
is
played
to the
upper-curve of an
of the
ellipse.
5.
From B down
the
bottom
note
scale
is
and
including two notes
of the repeat
:
and E
played
to a curve of the following pattern
117
From
-
the notation of the scale

1
-
it
will
be seen that note-
pattern No.
is
containing incomplete, and is the concluding curve of note-pattern No. 5. The student should refer to the remarks in Sec. 56
the
first
three notes of the scale
on starting
in the
"middle" of an ellipse or curve-figure.
Ex.
XLIII.
An
analysis
of
a scale
for
the left-hand
is
corresponding to that in
ing.
the followmajor given above, The note-patterns are numbered, and the loop-notes are
5
indicated by a cross.
5=1
_4
5=1
1.
The
first
three notes of the
above scale
are
played
to
to
the upper-curve of a "reversed" ellipse.

2.
From
the
first
G down
to
the
first
D
C
is
played
similar upper-curve.
3.
From
to
the second
-
C down
all
-
to
-
bottom
played
and up
12 notes in
:
is
to a
again curve of the
following pattern
4.
From A up
to
is
played
to
the
upper-curve
of
an
"ordinary" ellipse.
5.
From D up to the top note of the scale two notes of the repeat - - B and A
curve of the following pattern
:
and
is
including
played to a
118
With regard to scales for either hand, four octaves, and with fingering similar to
of C,
it
having
three
or
that of the scale
the scale,
must be remembered that for each octave added to two loop-notes in the ascent, and two in the descent
appearance.
Also, that in the three or four-octave
make
their
scale the note-patterns at the top and bottom are played to curve-forms identical with those given for the C major illustration
in this section.
of any scale having two or more and beginning with a black key, are played in the same manner as was demonstrated in Sec. 57 and 58 for the
The top and bottom
octaves,
one-octave scale.
The made in
student
is
advised to keep well
in
mind
the remarks
the last paragraphs of Sec. 53.
CHAPTER
XIV.
THE ARPEGGIO,
SECTION
In
60.
of
Chapters IX., X., XI. and XII. several forms These were Arpeggio have been already illustrated.
as
fitted (1)
the
shown
by the ellipse divided equally, (2) by two curveunequal length, (3) by the ellipse with its curves traversed at dissimilar speed, and (4) by the Figure-eight. A separate Chapter is here devoted to the Arpeggio in order that some of its other forms may be brought under the
lines
of
student's notice.
The
if
fitting
of curve-lines
all
to
these will give
him no trouble
he has mastered
those
described in the
preceding chapters.
survey of the Arpeggio as curve-lines will now be taken.
(1)
fitted
by various
of
kinds
of
With regard
to the
Arpeggio
as
the
type which rej-B
1235
itself,
turns
wholly
upon
AT
~-f-P-f p-f
>
and
is
played with "regular" fingering (see Sec. 48) to an ellipse divided equally (see Sec. 43, par. 1), nothing further need be added to what has already been said in Chap. IX. about
The size other note-patterns fingered on the same principle. of the Interval lying between contiguous notes constitutes the
only important difference between the various patterns of this
type.
The
following examples
show
this arpeggio:
120
S.
J.
Bach:
Prelude.
Beethoven:
32 Variations.
Chopin:
Op. 25.
In the last
example
it
is
the left-hand note-patterns

of above.
only
which
illustrate the type
spoken
In all of these arpeggios the "ordinary" ellipse is used upper-curve occurring when the order of fingering proceeds its from a high to a low, numbered finger - - from 5 to 1
:
its
lower
when
that order
is
reversed.
This applies
to either hand.
is
(2)
type of arpeggio
commonly met with
that
in
which the two curve-lines
fitted to
the pattern are of unequal
121
length.
partially.
In this
The
1.
type the arpeggio returns following are examples

:
upon
No.
3.
itself
only
No.
No.
2.
51
r
51
r+
9 ->_
1
No.
4.
In each of these, the upper-curve of the "ordinary" ellipse occurs between fingers 4 and 1, or 5 and 1. The student will note that the interval from 4 or 5 f o r w a r d to 1 is, in
every case, less than the interval from that

to
1.
same 4
in
or 5
back
The
curve-line
is
accordingly
is
shorter
the
forward
direction.
This curve-line
:
therefore traversed
more quickly
than the lower one
See Sec. 47.

1,
it
In Sec. 44, par.
was
rule
said that
some arpeggios form
exceptions
to
the general
that
low numbered
finger starts the lower-curve of an "ordinary" ellipse. It will be found that when the last note of a
note-pattern forms the
first note
of
group,
as in the
following example from Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 27, No. 2:
^=r^-j jr^f
i
122
it
is
better to
make
the curve beginning with the
finger the upper-curve of a "reversed" ellipse. right-hand passage had been written so
:
low numbered If the above
12351
^ r
showing the end-note
a group, the first curve of an "ordinary" ellipse and similarly with the following But, in the passage quoted from note-patterns in the bar.
:
note-pattern as the end-note of four notes would be played to the lowerof the
Beethoven,
the
accent
- -
mental
or
otherwise
comes on
the last note of the the use of the
pattern.
hand and arm

ellipse,
is
"ordinary" obtained along the lower-curve of a "reversed"

a throw
Accordingly, as compared with ellipse, a better "throw"* of the

the
last
namely,
from
note
of
each
note-
pattern to the first note of the following one. should play the passage first with the ordinary
the
The student
and then with
the
difference
reversed
ellipse
to
convince
of
himself
the
of
between the
two ways
distributing
of the
arm-weight.
next
The
is
fact that that part of the
palm
hand
the wrist
removed from close proximity to the keys during the is of great importance. longer curve -- the upper one When the accent comes on any other note of the pattern than the last one, the ordinary ellipse must be used. (3) Another very usual type of arpeggio is that which - is when returning on itself either wholly or only in part means of fingering proceeding irregularly. played by
(The explanation
ing,
is
of the
term "irregular" as applied to finger-
given
in
regularity will
in the
*)
be seen
Sec. 48, par. 1.) An example of this irin the four right-hand note-patterns
1
excerpt from Chopin given at No.

See Bandmann: "Gewichtstechnik."
of this Section.
123
(4)
The following
of fingering,
and also pairs
note-patterns show cases of irregularity of curves traversed at dissimilar
speed.
5TTl
f1T5
5231325
No2.
In
No.
- -
3.
each of these examples

of
the notes in
of equal time-value
in
the comparative speed of the
which are all two curves
complementary ones may be determined if the student will count the number of notes lying between the extreme (limit) fingers 5 and 1. Wherever these two fingers are contiguous the speedier of the two curves is played. See Ex. XXXI. In both the first and second example, the slower curve comes first - - between 5 and 1, and 1 and 5 respectively and is followed by the speedier - - between 1 and 5, and 5 and 1 respectively.
each pair
:
example see Sec. 44

In the
In
1,
-
the
will
first
curve,
be
an
the
following the general rule in example 2, a upper-one

;
lower.
third
example,
the
1
speed
5,
of
equal, seeing the same as that between

(5)
that
number
and
of notes
the two curves between 5 and 1
is is
namely, two.
as a note-pattern re-
The Arpeggio when appearing

itself in
peating
is
either the octave
been spoken
that of
of in
above or below, has already In this case the type Sec. 54, Ex. XXXVII.
in
two note-patterns
to the Figure-eight curve-form.
neighbouring octaves played This does not need to be
further explained.
With regard to the execution of the type sometimes known as the "grand" arpeggio - - the "grandeur" consisting in its
124
greater extension
need
be
51, 52,
added and 53.
to
up and down the keyboard what has already been said
little
more
in Sec. 50,
The
Arpeggio,
difference
while playing
is
physically between what the a scale and what it feels while

its
hand
feels
caused by
playing an extension during the latter. greater
In the scale, the interval lying
each of
between the limit fingers of the two note-patterns in any octave is that of either
:
a third or a fourth
and during neither is there any necessity for extension of the palm of the hand itself, or of the fingers. But in the Arpeggio, the width of the note-pattern is usually, measured by an interval, between the limit-fingers, of a fifth, a sixth, or a seventh; as in No. 1, 2 and 3 respectively:
NO.
In addition to this greater
No.
3.
width of the note-pattern,

that played by the
first
the
interval
between the loop-note see Sec. 50 and the note
finger
preceding
it,
is,
in
many
arpeggio than in the scale. In No. 1 of the above, this interval is a fourth; in No. 2, a third; and in No. 3, a second only.
cases, greater in the
And
3,
further:
in
a Scale, the succession
of fingers
135.
1,
2,
4,
suggests
note-pattern
such
as
125
where the limit-fingers are a fifth apart. In an Arpeggio, the same fingering may be used for note-patterns of the following
extension
:
^
=E
where neighbouring
fourth between them.
difficulties
12345
12345
V
have
intervals
of
in
fingers
third
or
The power
inherent
to
the
Rollingstretch-
motion to undeceive the student as
the
of
imaginary
arpeggios such as the above, has been already touched upon in Sec. 44 and 46.
attendant on the execution
An
technik,
important
point
is,
noticed
in
by Bandmann
page 87)
that
practising
arpeggios
(Gewichtssuch as
the accent should
m-
fall
so
S
4 1
that
is,
on the finger
immediately preceding
- -
the
loop-
arm is "thrown" and through the weaker finger thus avoiding loss of weight, and accordingly loss of equality of tone. This displacement of the accent will be used by the student as long only as there remains any tone-inequality in his execution
naturally on
to
:
note finger, and not on the loop-note finger itself. By this means, the weight of the
the
thumb
of the arpeggio.
Ex. XLIV.
in the
In the arpeggio of
right-hand ascending, or the
left
more than two octaves, hand descending,
126
^
the type of curve-line used in each of the note-patterns connected by the loop is, for either hand, the upper-curve
of the
"reversed" ellipse.
Chap. the student will have
described
in
If
the connecting of the
upper-curves
understood,
XIII.
little
has
been thoroughly
mastering
difficulty in
the looping together of these arpeggio-curves. The fact that are larger than those employed in the scale makes no they
difference in the principle of their working.
The arpeggio
note-patterns for the right-hand descending
and the left-hand ascending are played to upper-curves of the "ordinary" ellipse; that is, similarly to scale note-patterns for the same hands proceeding in a like direction.
In playing either
end of the extended arpeggio, when the

as:
end returns upon
itself,
^
3
14
the same curve-treatment
is
used as was
given
for
the
top
in
and bottom
Sec. 59.
In
of
the Scale
(right
and left-hand)
described
an arpeggio of the following type

4
LOWER
CURVE
H A L
of Fig. Eight
127
between between
eight
B b and D - - and also and 5th notes the noteless half of the figureits 12th and 13th, (mentioned at the end of Sec. 56) must be employed.
its
4th
For
an
arpeggio
up
octaves, the complete figure-eight Ex. XXXVII, No. 3.
of only two and down must be used. See Sec. 54,
H-
CHAPTER
XV.
MUSCULAR-TENSION: FREE,
SECTION
Of equal importance with
motion
in
61.
the
is
question
of
arm-rolling-
modern piano-playing
mentioned,
that of the muscular-tension
of the back, chest, arm,

treatise previously
and hand.
(Sec.
To
18)
:
quote from Huxley's "A muscle has the
peculiar property of changing its dimensions shortening and becoming thick in proportion to its decrease in length -
when influenced by stimuli, and of

alone.
this
the will, as well as by other causes called
returning
to
its
original
form when
of
let
shortening
This temporary change and becoming

It is
in the
dimensions of a muscle,
is
thick,
spoken
as
its
contraction.
by reason of this property that muscular tissue becomes the great motor agent of the body the muscles
;
being so disposed between the systems of levers which support the body that their contraction necessitates the motion of one
lever
upon another
The
determines the contraction of a muscular fibre
condition which ordinarily is, the passage
along the nerve fibre which is in close anatomical connection with the muscular fibre, of a nervous impulse: that is,
change in the substance of the nerve which from particle to particle along the fibre. The propagated nerve fibre is thence called a motor fibre because, by its influence on a muscle, it becomes the indirect means of
of a particular
is
;
producing motion."
Along with this change of dimension, a muscle, when stimulated, changes also its Condition in the matter of con-
129
sistency: that
state of
is,
its
A knowledge
of these
comparative hardness or softness. muscular changes is of importance to
the piano-student only in so far as it will help him to regulate the Consistency and Shape (or Mould) of hand - - including
the direction of the fingers with such accuracy as will enable him to play the correct notes at the necessary instant,
and with tone of the required volume. Without a correct Mould of hand and correct direction of the finger-tips, there can be no certainty without the necessary tension - - that is,
:
muscles to a working consistency - - the hardening up hand is unable either to withstand successfully the muscular shocks it receives during rapid and forceful playing, or to
of the
produce tone of
little
sufficient sonority
is
in
rapid
passages
where
expenditure of energy
required.
SECTION
The hand,
in
62.
of
health,
is
capable
the
two
extremes
of
muscular-tension, extreme may be experienced
with
all
intermediate
if
degrees.
The
one
on
its
side,
it
state,
is,
hand is laid in the lap, with the fingers limp and slightly bent. In this as completely as the individual hand will admit
of, flaccid,
invertebrate, molluscous,
boneless.
to
it
In the other
extreme,
when
the
muscles
is
are
:
stimulated
their
utmost
into
fist,
capacity, the or half
hand
rigid
like
whether
or
be
clenched
the
opened
a claw,
with
fingers
fully
stretched out.
But
tension
in
is
of use.
piano-playing neither of these utmost extremes of In the former, the hand is not braced up
to a tonicity sufficient to
admit
of
the transmission,
through
the fingers, of an Impulse which will produce even a pianissimo tone. In the latter extreme, the muscles are so strongly
contracted as to induce
it
inflexibility,
to tire the
hand, to deprive
9
of that delicate sensibility by means William Townsend, Modern Piano-Teaching.
of
which the player
_i3o_
can calculate the resistance of the keys, Balance of the arm.
and
the
to
destroy the
The
question then arises
What
is
lowest and what
the highest degree of muscular-tension the player may allow himself to use: How may he know which to choose and which
to reject of the
many grades
of tension
lying
:
between tension-extremes
of such distance
from each other
How may
for
he learn to apply
the exact
amount
needed
is
each
piano-passage
training)
to
he has to play ? But before the student be able

first
in a position
(of
to
make
this selection for artistic
purposes,
he must
learn to control the muscles
of
his
arm and hand when
they are in the lowest state of tension in which tone can be produced from the piano. Gustav Stowe, in his "Klaviertechnik," puts it thus paradoxically the acquirement of a good technique
:
"The
is
first
condition
for
to
be able to keep
to
the muscles loose
the second
is,
to
be
able
keep them
stiff." Breithaupt (Naturliche Klaviertechnik, Vol. II.) in speaking that controlled state in which, at the player's of "Fixation"
option, the muscles (and therefore the shape or mould of the hand and fingers) are fixed - - says: "One must first acquire looseness and flexibility before proceeding to acquire the
power
joints,
of holding the
by means
of
in Ex. VI.,
This "fixation" of the joints firmly." muscular control, has already been mentioned Sec. 20, and in Sec. 25, in connection with the
of
tracing
outlines by the arm. practical degree of tension

of
The use
I
of
the
lowest
my
have
tried to teach in
book "Balance
of
Arm,"
in
connection
with
the
acquirement
Inhibition of unnecessary disturbing movements of the muscles controlling the fingers. In this lowest workable degree is kept of tension, the arm itself upper and lower
-
still;
and,
accordingly,
nothing to the
motion of the
has the appearance of contributing But this passivity of fingers.

it
arm
is
only a seeming one:
is
not absolute.
"In the smallest
131
movements of any of the knuckle-joints, the muscles of the The smallest finger-movement arm and shoulder participate. affects the whole arm up to the shoulder." (Dr. Steinhausen:
Kiaviertechnik.)
SECTION
that
63.
Every piano teacher of experience must have observed among his pupils no two have hands alike either in size
no two have hands with an exactly similar type of muscle-conformation. It is a matter of minor importance whether the length or girth of the bones of the
or build.
also, that
And
hand be great or
prominent.
small,
if
neither of these qualities
is
unduly
is
Neither the very big,
nor
the
very tiny hand
the ideal one for the player. But it is of importance for him to have a hand well clothed with muscle. And also to have
the muscles under such control that they can become, at will, either soft and "fleshy," or be braced up to a firm unyielding
And the consistency. the student can receive

that will allow
is
most complete muscular training that which gives him the control
him at any moment during performance to induce and retain whatever degree of tension he may wish. This control of the tension he must now study to acquire.
All the
exercises
given
here
for
the
cultivation
of
the
and the retention of the hand in any desired shape or mould "fixation" must be practised The student must not hurry matters, and very gently. thus run the risk of overstraining the muscles. He must remember that the hand can only gradually become accustomed
stretch of the palm,
to
is is
hold
itself
free--
that
without danger in these moulds, either when is, away from the keyboard - - or when
it
it
acting with more or less energy on the keys, and is thereore receiving shocks communicated to it by the resistance of
the keys.
This
ability of the
hand
itself,
when
swung
9*
by
132
to place on the keyboard, either to retain during the swing, to change from one mould to another with precision, is a necessity of piano-playing, and
the
arm from place

or,
any mould,
to
one
which the student
must devote
his
closest
thought.
This will be referred to
later
on: Sec. 75.

64.
SECTION
Ex.
fore-arm
XLV.
till
it
Stand
erect,
keeping the shoulders well down,

loosely.
the chest up,
and the arms hanging
Bend
the
right
a right angle with the line of the upperand place the open palm of the right-hand loosely against arm, the front of the body, keeping both the fore- and upper-arm
makes
touching the body.
Supinate the hand

-
thus
it
from contact with the body
and keep
from
at
falling
removing it backthereby
wards
slightly
at
the
wrist.
Very gently
hand, making
fingers,
stretch
it
(and
the
broaden) the
the thumb,
palm
of the
same time
the tip of
concave.
Curve the
and
make
inwards.
by bending at the nail-joint alone, point a little The whole hand is now in a somewhat tense condition
part of the exercise consists in alternately assuming hand and condition of tension, and then relaxing
its
The
this
first
the
shape whole
it
of
letting
hand to fall back
softest
muscular
at
condition,
without
the
the
at
the
wrist
the
moment when
condition
for
muscles
the
are relaxed.
Preserve
the
tense
and relax for the following two. At whole hand collapses, though the wrist must be gently "braced" to keep the hand from falling backwards. The student is again earnestly warned
duration of one second,
moment
of relaxing, the
against urging the hand-tension to its utmost limit during these exercises. The hands must be drilled alternately, one hand being exercised at first not more than eight or ten times before going on to the other. The greatest mistake the student can make is to imagine that his
hand is strong because he can make it feel "tight." Therefore, - let him use extreme caution especially at first. Ex. XL VI. This exercise is meant to accustom the hands to resist pressure brought to bear on each finger
in
turn.
Place the right arm and hand in the position used for the preceding exercise, and then induce the same gentle tension
of the muscles.
the
thumb
outside,
Double up the left hand into a fist, with and then extend its fifth-finger straight.
push
With the
tip
of this straight finger
gently
against the
fleshy part of
each finger-tip of the right hand. The resistance of the one hand to the other must be so nicely adjusted that
of
the curved fingers
the
one
hand
do
not
"give"
to
the
The push should gentle push of the fifth-finger of the other. be neither sudden nor jerky, and must be of only momentary duration, lasting not so long as a second of time. A rest for
both hands should be taken after every ten pushes that is, after the curved fingers have been gone round twice. The
:
use of the extended fifth- finger while pushing against the resistance offered by the fingers of the other hand will gradually the fifth-finger strengthen the muscles lying on that side
of the palm. The part played by these outside muscles of the palm in the execution of rapid octave-passages, the tremolo, etc., will be noticed later on:
side
the outer edge
Sec. 73.
While the fingers are being pushed against, the nailphalanges must not be allowed to bend backwards. This tendency is likely to occur in hands with loosely jointed It is fingers. occasionally seen also at the middle joint of the thumb that is, the joint between the wrist and the nailand when a hand with this tendency is playing on the joint piano, the middle joint of the thumb often disappears beneath
:
the
palm
of the hand.
In this case,
the
muscular-tension of
134
hand is misplaced and misapplied, becoming a source of weakness instead of strength. The student whose hand has this unfortunate habit must make up his mind to conquer it. The two preceding exercises will initiate the early stages of this victory if they are carefully worked at the first exercise
the
:
teaching the middle thumb-joint to remain in its correct attitude towards the other parts of the hand the second accustoming
it
to maintain this attitude while successfully resisting pressure.
The preserving
that
is,
of this
attitude while
playing
while meeting and overcoming the Sec. 69. keys, will be referred to later on
:
piano, resistance of the
on the
As
a rest for the
tension, the gentle opening found effectual. When the
hand after being kept in a state of and shutting of the fingers will be hand is gently closed the thumb
should be outside of the fingers.
SECTION
65.
Another weakness frequently met with is one connected with the muscles on the fifth-finger side - - the outer edge the fingers are placed on five neighbouring the knuckles of the the latter at high-level white keys fourth and fifth-finger of some hands are seen to sink someof the palm.
When
The of the first and second-finger. student in this case has not, as yet, sufficient muscular control Some to prevent the two outside knuckles from sinking.
what lower than those
writers
recommend
that
the
back of the hand,

a
little
at
the
line
higher up from the keys on its fifth-finger side than on its second. This, the elbow be kept at a considerable distance however, unless out from the body, demands a forced pronation of the hand.
across the knuckles,
should be held
And this extreme pronation may be avoided work at the following exercise.
if
the student will
J35
Ex. XL VI I. Lay the open palm and fingers of the righthand flat on a table, the fingers straight out and touchingeach other, and the line of the outside (fifth-finger) edge of
palm making a straight line with the outside line of the fore-arm. With the hand fixed in this pose, remove it from the table, and bringing the elbow close to the body, keeping the back of the hand facing upwards, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth-fingers quite straight and close together, bend them at their knuckle-joints until the line along all the straight fingers and the line along the back of the hand make - not quite - - a right angle. nearly Steady the hand by
the
placing the inside of the nail-joint of the thumb against the side of the middle joint of the second-finger. The line along the back of the hand and that along the fore-arm must make
and the hand at the wrist-joint must not be move. It is hoped that these directions may be clearly understood, as they indicate the necessary pose of hand in which the exercise is to be practised. With the hand and fingers in this angular pose, and
a straight
line,
allowed
to
keeping the thumb and the first and second-finger knuckles quite still, endeavour to move the knuckles of the fourth and
fifth-fingers
up and
down.
In
doing
little
so,
the the
will
side side
of
the
straight fourth-finger will slide a

straight
third,
along
of the
and the
tip
of
the
fourth
then
extend
probably a
third-finger.
little
further out
is,
This
(down) than the tip of the longer however, a matter decided by the relative
is,
length of these
two
fingers.
This sliding-up-and-down movement found to be at first impossible even

ones.
for
some hands,
When
will
this
is
so,
little
loosely jointed with the other ''prompting"
for
hand
be necessary. This may be done by pushing gently the knuckle of the right-hand fifth-finger, from above against and from underneath, with a finger of the other hand. It is
136
usually found that the two knuckles after a little while are able to move
assistance from the other hand.
the fourth
and
fifth
up
and
down
without
this is accomplished even a small degree, the student has made an important He must then continue this now unprompted step forward.
in
When
up-and-down
quickly. that
is,
practice until he can
make
it
After this he
must practise
movement fairly with the hand supinated

the
The
drill
with the back of the hand facing downwards. for the left hand must not be forgotten.
SECTION
The following
exercise
is
66.
controlling
It
for
the
is
tension
of
the muscles of the shoulder, chest,
and back.
a preparatory
training for such pieces as Liszt's arrangement of Schubert's "Erlkonig," his 6th Rhapsody, and for all rapid octave and
chord-playing.
Ex.
of which,
XL VI
when
1 1.
Sitting
at
the piano on a seat the height
hands are on the keys, causes the line of the arm from the elbow to the wrist to slope up a Place little, keep the chest well out and the shoulders down.
the the ten fingers on the notes
L.
H.
HE=
and
- -
R. H.
and
keys
with the arm balanced

2
keep them lying
on
these
at high-level
1
throughout
4.
it
the exercise.
Count
slowly,
3
this
body.
the
to the
f
(To do
r
bring both elbows close to the will not be possible to make them touch
At
1,
sides
o n
of the
t).
they must be brought rather more Press the elbows when in this position fairly
body
tightly against the
body
for a
moment.
While
this
momentary
pressure lasts do not allow the fore-arm nor the wrist to become stiff: the fingers must not be allowed
to get out of balance,
137
press tightly on the keys. At 2, remove the elbows to a distance from the body, at the same time completely At 3 and 4, relaxing the arm, shoulder, and chest tension.
little
to
rest the
arms in this "hanging" pose, keeping the chest still well out, and breathing naturally. When the student has become accustomed to the nature
of this exercise
vary the exercise
moment
first
without fatigue, he may then by giving greater duration to the pressureand less to the relaxation. This may be done at
it
and can do
by keeping up
the
relaxing during 3 and 4;
and 3, and relaxing must of course be proportioned to the natural power of endurance possessed by the student.
pressure during beat 1 and 2, and and then by pressing during 1, 2, during the fourth beat only. All this
strength
If
his
and hand
be rather loosely built or his bodily physique spare, he should continue working gently at the previous exercises
happen
to
in this chapter until he has partially hardened himself up, before trying his tension against the resistance of the keys. Ex. IX. The most difficult and exhausting form of
XL
the preceding tension-exercise is the following. Lay the fingers on the same ten keys at high-level, and press the elbows
against the student now

feeling
body
fix
in
the
manner above described.

intently
Let the
his
mind
on the
peculiar
physical
caused by the tension along the upper-arm and around

Steadily preserve this
the shoulders.
same
feeling of tension,
and at the same time, withdraw the elbows an inch or two from the body. It will be found difficult at first to preserve the shoulder-tension unrelaxed while the elbows are removed from the body. A little practice will enable the student to overcome this difficulty.
After this has been accomplished, the hands, with
all
the
fingers kept on the keys at high-level, must then be slowly moved away from each other up and down the keyboard,
138
the shoulder-tension being still preserved.

Both
times
until
down an
;
hands should at octave from
first
move
in
contrary-motion
position
their
original
up and good many
do
and farther apart from each other, To the extreme limits of the keyboard. they approach The arms this the arms must of course leave the sides.
and then
farther
down the keyboard in sometimes the same distance from parallel-motion, keeping each other, and sometimes widening or narrowing the distance between them.
may
then be exercised moving up and
Another
test of tension-control
may be had
if
the student
will, with the finger-tips on the keys, run the right-hand up and down the keyboard while keeping the right-shoulder tense, and at the same time swing the hanging left-arm backwards
and forwards with the left-shoulder fully relaxed. The converse of this treatment of the arms must also be practised.
Should the student be curious
Rontgen-ray by this muscular
der
Stuttgart,
to
see
some
interesting
illustrations of the shoulder-blade
when
controlled
tension
Kraftquellen 1905.
beim
consult "Die Ausniitzung Klavierspiel," by Elisabeth Caland

let
;
him
SECTION
67.
In Sec. 11, following the table of Activities
and Passivities,
mention was made of the three great arm-movements used in piano-playing, namely, ROLLING, SWINGING, and VIBRAT-
ING.
In Steinhausen's "Klaviertechnik,"
Bandmann's "Gewichts-
technik,"
Breithaupt's
"Die Grundlagen
of
and
in
my own book "Balance
Arm"
der Klaviertechnik," will be found

of
explanations of the principles of the swinging-movement the arm, and suggestions as to how to acquire it.
Before beginning any consideration of the arm's Vibratory movement, it will be necessary to notice a certain peculiarity
139
">*
in the
that
if
It was mentioned in Sec. 2 "action" of the pianoforte. a finger be placed on the surface of any undepressed
key and very swiftly drawn inwards hand - - depressing the key by means
itself
into
the
palm
- -
of
the
of the jerk
If
will swiftly rise to its high-level.
made with
the key,
it
will
it
be found
that,
the key an experiment be in order to produce
downward motion from the key's very highest level -- that

tone from the piano,
the level at
is
not necessary to begin the

surface
is
is,
which
its
"flush"
with
if
the
other
high-level key-surfaces. finger be on the key-surface at high-level, the key be first moved placed cautiously down to a very little lower than that level,
It
will
be
found,
the
and the finger then jerked

tone
swiftly
down
to
low-level,
that
be produced. It will also be found possible to produce a succession of tones from any one key if the finger, in letting the key rise for the following tone, do so in
may
still
close contact with the key-surface, has reached the same nearly
stop rising
when
the key
from there,
seen
that, in
highest level, and then, From this it will be again depress the key.
it
repeating any note,
is
not necessary to
let
the
key
is
rise
each time
idea of
to its quite highest level.
certain saving
thus effected.
An
ment
and
will
what
this is
may be
gathered from the following

playing of Liszt's
calculation in connection with the

of Schubert's "Erlkonig."
to low-level
from high
sinks
it
arrangekey during its depression about three-eighths of an inch:
to regain high-level
must rise the same distance
in all, three quarters of
suppose the amount
an inch for the double journey. We of lineal measure saved by descending

:
from only
high-level,
nearly
to
its
be
high-level as compared with from quite one-sixteenth of an inch and the same
;
amount
level
-
all, one-eighth every time the key goes from and returns to
in
ascent
in
of
an
inch
saved
high-
nearly
that
is,
on the double journey.
140
At the beginning of the above-mentioned arrangement by 2 bars of repeated notes: each bar containing 12 repetitions -- making in all 174 repetitions to be played before the voice-part enters. During the 14 l /2 bars the handLiszt there are 14 1
position (note-pattern)
8ve lower.
is
changed 8 times
5 bars
+1+1
full
-|-
5+141
of
of
-
_{_
i/ 2
= 14.
bars
and accordingly, the last note

note of the next will be
played
bar
coming and a
the
first
down-going
first
one position and the first respectively by a full upthe key. This --including
17 cases in
note of the
gives a total of
which a rise and fall of eleven-sixteenths of an inch must be used. But 17 from 174 the complete number of repetitions leaves 157, which is the number of times in the 14 /a bars
T
that a rise
:
of only five-sixteenths of an inch is other words, a rise and fall of five-eighths or, required of an inch. 157 times five-eighths is 98 1 8 inches: 17
(o r
fall)
in
times
eleven-sixteenths
these
i
of
an inch
is
ll 11 /
inches.
And
But the be 130 l 2 inches. And 109 13 /i 6 inches from ISOVa inches leaves 20 11 /io inches, or 1 foot 8 11 /i inches, which is the in length effected in the 14'/a bars by using, saving
i /
two amounts added together make 109 l3 /i G inches. whole 174 notes at s x - e g h t h s of an inch would
during the repetitions, the

high-level of the key.
nearly
this
is
high instead of the

in
quite
a
And
saving
length
means
saving of time.
higher speed
therefore possible.
SECTION
The
student will note that,
in
68.
order to
make
to
these cal-
culations of any practical value,
be must learn
keep
the
141
key "in check," and prevent it, at from returning to its full high-level.
each repetition,
after the
following experiment has been made. Lay across the keys, a little way back from their front edge, any fairly solid article - - such as a flat-sided penknife - - and let it lie across not less than
three white keys.
Ex.
L.
This
will
be better understood
Lay a finger-tip on the middle one of these three, and jerk this key down by drawing the finger into the palm of the hand. The key, springing up quickly, will "click" against the penknife if the under surface of the latter and the
surface of the keys are in the
same
plane.
The
finger,
click
proves
that the key rose to high-level.
Now, on
finger-tip
of repeated
the
same
key, with the

in
same
and keeping
and key-surface
notes at the
constant contact, play a succession rate of four to one second. The

still
click
each time the key rises will

is
be heard, proving that
the key
to comply with the Double up the right-hand fairly tightly extend the first (thumb) and secondPress the thumb against the inner side of the nailfingers. joint of the second-finger, and hold the latter as straight as possible and quite stiff. The whole hand must be kept firm and unyielding. Place the tip of the stiffly held second-finger on the key experimented with above, and try to execute a
not being kept "in check." Finally, let the student endeavour
following conditions. into a fist, and then
series of repeated notes at the rate of six to one second. This speed may be attained by making the whole arm vibrate, apparently, in one piece. In order to accomplish this
arm-vibration, muscles of the back, chest, shoulder, and upperarm must be pretty firmly contracted or stimulated. An attempt to describe this condition of tension has been made in Sec. 66
Ex. XLIX.
The shoulder
;
is
brought a
little
down,
and
also
little
forward
and
the muscles of the upper-arm, shoulder,
142
and back
exhibits,
feel as if they were The whole arm firmly held. during the act of vibrating, a rapid trembling or
quivering movement.*) The finger as the final or end-portion of this quivering is then applied to the surface of the body key, and the
latter is
made
to quiver
up and down
arm,
in direct
obedience to
each vibration
of
the
and
in
constant contact
nervous movement
with the finger-tip.

The
to
student
may have
at
it
to try this rapid
a few times before he becomes
compel
it,
steps before
he can do
each reaches
master of the key as vibration, to retrace its

so
far
quite high-level. Whenever
this, clicking of the key-surface against the penknife will stop, and the speed of the repetition will increase. If the student, after he is able to hold the key "in check,"
the
wishes to prove the indispensability, in rapid repetition-work, of the firm tension of the whole limb, let him try the vibrating
process
that
with
high
loose hand and finger.

immediately
vanishes,
therefore
He
be
will find
the
speed
and
can
the
clicks
recommence.
The hand and arm must

before
a high state of muscular-tension
they
kept in with ease
and neatness execute rapid staccato, octave, and chord reand a study may now be made of the petition-passages of energy to the keyboard with the muscles application in that condition. But let the student continually
;
in mind that the nerve-strain which this entails must be neither pushed momentarily to its extreme, nor continued too long at a time. Therefore FREQUENT RESTS.
bear
")
See "Ausniitzung der Kraftquellen beim Klavierspiel," by
E.
CALAND.
CHAPTER
XVI.
MUSCULAR-TENSION: APPLIED.
SECTION
In learning to
69.
production of tone,
it
apply a tense hand to the keys for the the student must remember that although
of
is
mostly
in
passages where a higher degree

of tension are
speed
is
necessary that the higher grades

it
employed, yet
not for staccato-playing or repetition-passages alone that Some of them are necessary also these grades are essential.
is
for the
smooth rolling-along and the controlled distribution of - (so far as any real arm-weight productive of legato-tone for the piano) - - and also for the type legato is possible of tone which, from its having an intermittent quality and But it being more palpably percussive, is called non-legato.
be advisable for the student to begin the practice of these grades of muscular-tension using the staccato-touch, as
is
will
it
then
that
they
helpful guide in this
most thoroughly learned. A very matter may be found in the appendix

are
(with an English translation) to "Ludwig Deppe's Funffingerubungen," written by Elisabeth Caland; Stuttgart, 1900.
on
it for granted that the student, before going the following exercises, has drilled his hand to the to extent that he can retain it in the pose described in Ex. XLV.,
I
will take
Sec. 64
that he has developed as
much muscular
;
control as
enables him to keep the knuckles of the fourth fingers in line with those of the second and third
and and
fifth-
that
he
is
now
back,
able to stimulate muscles of the upper-arm, shoulder, and chest to such a degree as will keep the key "in
144
If he has not check," as described in the preceding section. yet accomplished this he will be unable to derive full benefit
from the following exercises.
SECTION
70.
Ex. LI. The student will begin learning to apply handtension to the keys by playing, with the thumb, any white key a good number of times. The position of this key should
be
-
for preliminary study
about an octave above middle
for the right-hand,
left.
The thumb
and the must keep
same distance below

its
for the
in
nail-phalange
straight line
with the key used.
This
will necessitate a slight
whereby the tip of the thumb is made to point towards the hand. This slight bend inwards, while furthering an exact placing of the tip of the thumb on the key, that is, equidistant from the sides of
the key,'-- thus helping to avoid wrong notes as well as will faulty attack when approaching the keys on the swing the tension of the thumbside of the hand automatically keep
in
bend (crook)
at the nail- joint
good
order.
The whole hand while working

must
if
at
these
the
preliminary
exercises
be
the
opened
out
is
as
if
for
stretch of a sixth.
Thus,
finger
thumb
be
repeating the
note
the
fifth
will
held
over
(though
drill
not
the
touching)
BE-T
and remain so during the
for
thumb.
Large hands
the knuckles must, for the sake of the tension, and therefore eventually, of the tone, be held in correct pose. Accordingly, the knuckles of the fourth and fifth-fingers must not be allowed to sink in, that
is,
long as the hand is across the back of the hand at
octave-span. As in either of these stretch-widths the line
may open
out to the
down towards
the keys.
If
they do, the tension
is
wrong.
145
be used by the student must first be a reThis must be done note. petition many times of the same at first not with the rapidity of vibration described in the
The
drill
to
fourth paragraph of Sec. 68, but at the rate of

a second.
two
repetitions
When
the
thumb has had

little
its
share
of
student has then rested a
while,
he
and the must exercise the

the
drill
second-finger in a similar fashion.
be held
The
treated
:
in
the spread attitude

fourth,
The hand must still mentioned above.

is
This keeping of the whole hand opened out

third,
at first tiring.
and
the
fifth
fingers
must then be
Care
not
relaxed.
similarly
always
with
opened-out hand.
be
must be
taken that the tension of the fingers

to the nail-joint
Down
it
being moved
in
each finger must have the feeling one piece --as if jointlessly.
that
is
SECTION
When
the the student
is
71.
sary steady fixed
tension
able to keep his hand in the neceswhile playing a repeated note at
on
to exercises in
above-mentioned speed with any finger, he must then go which other arm-movements in addition to
with)
the
(simultaneously
Vibratory
are
used,
namely,
the
Forward and Backward. Perhaps the simplest exercises in which he can employ those movements are the following onefinger examples Ex. LI I.
:
No.
1.
No.
2.
No.
3.
No.
4.
No.
1.
No.
2.
No.
3.
No.
4.
R
Piano-Teaching.
1
146
a gentle sideward (or diagonal) movement is inThe latter necessarily is combined with the other movements whenever the succession of notes played is not the same note repeated. The exercises, practised firstly with each hand separately,
In these,
cluded.
must be
played
always
with
only
one
to
its
finger
not with
two, as their appearance would of the five fingers must in turn
seem
indicate
and
the
each
The
drill. get hand must throughout be kept tense and extended. The student, while the finger is travelling from a white
share
of
key to a black and back again, must try to touch a spot on the one key as near as possible to the spot touched on the in other words, the distance from the spot touched on other
:
the white key to that touched on the black must be made as This economy of Line-distance means an short as possible.
economy
of Time-distance: accordingly, an increase of speed. When the student has practised the exercises for some
time with separate hands he must then work at them with both simultaneously: and firstly, in contrary-motion, using, for both hands, each pair of the similarly-numbered examples.
must work them in parallel motion. To do so, any two examples in which the notes proceed in the same Thus direction may be combined for two-handed practice. No. 1 for the right hand may
After this, he
:
be played with either 2 or 3

No. 2
1
in the left
or 4 or 4
No. 3 No. 4
2 or 3
parallel
The
greater difficulty of the
as
compared
with
the contrary-motion practice will at once be felt.. Material for single-finger practice of staccato-touch
practically
is
unlimited,
and
may
be
found
to
in
any manual
all
of
piano-technique.
The
student has only
use
exercises
147
written primarily for legato-practice, and employ the staccatotouch instead. Two-, three-, four-, and five-finger exercises
- - as played of course with a single finger well as scales, arpeggios, and arm-springs of various extension, may all be worked at with benefit.
of every
form
SECTION
Ex. L
1 1 1.
72.
may come
the
Following on this one-finger staccato-practice use of two fingers simultaneously the

;
material used being the scale of
major
in thirds.
R. H.
L.
H.
This
fingerings,
scale
must be practised with the following ten each of which induces a difference of hand-tension,
for the student.
and therefore makes a fresh experience
2345345455
1
;
For the right-hand Scale.

must
in turn
4;
be used.
10*
148
1234123121
2;
3;
For the left-hand Scale.

4;
5; 3;
4;
5;
4;
5;
5.
While using any

stantly be kept
in
of these fingerings the

state
hand must conBut
a firm
of
tension.
how
firm
that tension
this,
the
must be cannot be stated exactly. To discover student must be continually experimenting with his
hand and arm.

so
that
Too much
the speed
of
tension will
make
will
the muscles
rigid passage impaired. Therefore he must temper his enthusiasm with common-sense.
the
be
Too
the
little tension will also prevent speed by rendering hand itself too independent of the arm. In this state the hand feels heavy and lumbering. The amount of
is
tension
final
therefore a matter individual
to
the
student.
The
umpire is the trained ear. It will be noted that, in the scale given above, the first note of each bar is a dotted crotchet accented. The student must give this note its full value, and then make a light rush
to the first note of the next bar,
well
in
mind
during
the
Duringthe rush up
must be
irregular,
action (on the arm) must be carefully attended

finely
keeping this next-bar note semiquaver portion of the bar. or down the key bo ar d the of the shoulder-muscles
,
to.
The movement
If
there
is
controlled
will
and^ graded.
be the
result,
this
grading
wrong notes
seeing
that in the
scale of
major the distance from key
to
key
is
always the
in
same.
The same
guiding
4
2-
principle
-
would be adopted
such a passage as the following:
149
The shoulder-movement
finger-tips,
finds the
correct keys
for
the
fixed
and the brain regulates the motion
of the shoulder.
But an adequate arm-hand-and-wrist-tension is indispensable also.

Ex. LIV.
The student
playing
it
will
go on now
to the scale of
C major
in sixths,
with the same
rhythm
for
as
was
used for the scale

scales
in thirds.
In ferreting out the best
grade of tension
these two
it will be found that some of the playing fingers have occasionally to adopt an almost straight attitude, thus raising the palm of the hand at the knuckle-joints a little higher than usual above the level of the keys. This is sometimes the
case with the fifth-finger, a profile view of which will show an angular pose of hand. But if the student has hit upon the degree of tension which enables him to get the desired
tone and speed,
transient
he
may
very
well
afford
74, par.
to
1.
disregard any
odd hand-shape: see Sec.
SECTION
73.
The student has now been led up to the study of that branch of piano-technique which may be called the goal of The chief all ambitious players, namely, rapid octave-playing.
cause of the failure of many earnest players ever to surmount the difficulties of rapid octave-playing is that, while practising this, they insist on trying to make the hand itself work t o o
of the arm: they use tension at the quote from the valuable remarks on octavewrong place. practice by Caland mentioned before, Sec. 69, "The playingfrom-the-wrist which is prescribed in most piano-methods, exacts a pronounced raising back of the hand at the wrist a movement which has its origin in a powerful contraction of the u p p e r- muscles of the fore-arm. In consequence,
independently
To
this part of the
fore-arm becomes highly developed, but
it
is
150
at the cost of proportionate
weakness
has
is
of the
activity of the
wrong muscles
the
also
upper-arm. This another unfortunate

heavy,
result,
for
thereby
hand
rendered
and the
desirable and requisite "feather-lightness" becomes impossible of attainment - - a state of things which goes far to account for the fact that so many piano-students can never satisfactorily
octave-passages by the most direct method the rapid execution is essential that the wrist shall be maintained
rapid
state of
execute
To
of
in
acquire octaves it
the highest
always elastic, tension, and that there shall be transmitted to the hand by means of a which takes its rise in the shoulder and travels movement a motion which shall cause it to vibrate down the arm
firm, yet
-
Every observer who is not the victim of an optical delusion, will have noticed that the rapid octaveplaying of the great artists rests on the above basis." But in order to enable the Hand itself to receive the vibratory movement passed down from the shoulder and arm,
rapidly
and,
then
to
transfer
this
movement
speed,
of
to the
keys and make

build
of
them
vibrate at the requisite
the
individual
the parts of the Hand The carefully studied.
and
their capacity for tension
must be
the fingers, these are attached
the palm, the length of as well as the firmness or looseness with which
to
breadth
the palm, have all to be taken Into consideration, seeing that one physical item overlooked or unconsidered is enough to mar the tonal effect of any passage.
It
will
conduce
to the preserving of a hopeful confidence

if,
so long as any octave-passage fails of its complete tonal effect, he will attribute that failure to the fact that, either he has not spotted the very part of his hand at which the tension is inadequate, or that the guiding
in the student's
mind
action of the shoulder-muscles controlled: Sec. 72.
is
not properly
151
A
with
short
summary
to
is
of
the
various
tension
portions
of
the
regard
the
special
necessary
for
hand them in
octave-playing
given in Sec. 74.

practice of octave-playing in Sec. 71, Ex. LIL, for
Ex. LV.
are the
The exercises for the same as those recommended

of
one-finger staccato.
practice are found in Liszt's arrangement of Schubert's "Erlkonig," his 6th Rhapsodic Hongroise, his "Rigoletto" Fantasia, and in
the "repeated
Special attention must be given to the note" octave, examples of which
note
Rubinstein's Staccato Study in C. Other examples of repeatedwork requiring a high grade of tension are Heller's "La
Chasse," and the Study
in
minor, Op. 52,

74.
of
Saint-Saens.
SECTION
In presenting the tension-analysis of the
hand
it
will
be
best to examine separately the two parts into which the latter naturally divides itself, namely, the Palm and the Fingers. And as the former is, as regards octave-playing, the more
important,
it
will
be noticed
first.
In looking at the
palm
of the
hand opened
out, the lines

-
(roughly speaking) of a
sides
square
may be
discerned:
its
four
being
(1)
the
(3) the wrist-side,
knuckle-side, (2) the fifth-finger side, and (4) the thumb-side. The tension of
each of these
the square
- -
will
be noticed separately.
The corners
of
these being the second-finger knuckle, the fifthfinger knuckle, and the two outside "edges" of the wrist may each be considered as belonging to two sides of the palm.
1.
As regards
and
if
the
knuckle-side
of this palm-square,
any
deficiency of tension there will
probably be found located
at the fourth
be supplied
Sec. 65.
This deficiency may fifth-finger knuckles. the student will work carefully at Ex. XLVII.,
These two
firmly braced,
knuckles are, in octave-playing, kept as well as level with those of the second and
152
third fingers, by means of the tension of muscles lying along the fifth-finger side of the palm, and along the fore-arm. In connection with the knuckle-side of the palm-square,
the attitude of the three inner fingers must be noticed. When the hand
the 2" d
is
3 rd
and 4th
various
braced for the octavefingers

in,
span
ways.
it
is
possible to
They may
pose these three be kept tightly tucked
in
or
moderately
and they may also be held all three touching each other, or two touching and one separated, or all three apart. But no one particular attitude can be considered
bent, or quite straight;
"correct" for every student.

the
How
the
fingers
ought
to
be
posed must depend altogether on the natural tension of hand and every pose possible to these fingers must be tried until one is found that will allow the vibrations of the arm to permeate every portion of the hand down to the
;
finger-tips.
2.
to
its
The fifth -finger side own muscles -- see Sec. 65 keeping
of the palm.
-
In addition
those of the upper-arm

the
assist materially in
this side of
hand
firm
and
this invaluable backing-up of the hand-tension must be
now
specially studied.
Ex. L VI. The act of stimulating or innervating the upperarm muscles should be practised daily in the following manner. Keep the chest well out and the shoulders down. Interlock the fingers of both hands in front of the body as lightly as
During the exercise try to keep the fingers from If this tightening or tightening their hold on each other. muscles in the fore-arm will be grasping takes place, wrong contracted. Try, by intensity of thought and strength of will,
possible.
to stimulate the
effort directed
of
muscles of the upper-arm. The strong mental towards these muscles will cause a co-stimulation But the certain muscles of the fore-arm, chest, and back.
of stimulation lies chiefly in the
feeling
upper-arm.
153
The wrist-side of the palm-square is probably the one most likely to be forgotten
3.
during octave-playing.
that this

kept
at
"full
side must
always
in
be
breadth."
To
an
allow the tension of that side of the square lying nearest the
arm
lo
become relaxed
- -
any
degree,
would be
of
in
equal degree from finding
its
prevent the vibratory motion way into the body of the hand,
to
the
arm
and through
is
that to the finger-tips.
The well- braced wrist

fapid octave-playing.
i
thus
indispensable
4.
in b
The
h u
:
- s
d e
In
of the
been spoken of here, the crook
Sec. 70.
palm-square has already keeping up a workable tension
of the nail-joint is of importance. It not only furnishes the hand with a considerable degree automatically If the of tension, but it also promotes "cleanness" of touch. hand is large enough to allow the nail-phalange of the thumb,
during octave-playing, to be held with the line of the keys, the tip
easily get into the
in
a
the
nearly straight
line
of
thumb
:
will
is,
more
to a
middle
of
its
own key
that
spot on that key equidistant from the edge It will thus be in a either side. position to
of
the
key on
touching
avoid
two keys instead of one. This fault is shown by the finger - in two ways. while playing its own key Firstly, either
in
lightly
touching
it;
"sounding"
or,
secondly,
neighbouring key, although without -- while playing its own key
in simultaneously causing a neighbouring key to sound. This untidiness of touch is, in the former case, generally con-
sidered excusable,
notes.
seeing that it may bring with it no wrong For some hands this untidiness may be unavoidable on account of their limited width and stretch, which renders
of
any crook of the thumb impossible. But for hands capable an easy stretch, a more rigorous criticism is advisable.
In a
passage such as the following
154
if
the tip of the
thumb
contact with the
side
of
or of the fifth-finger should come into any key, a certain hindrance to the
easy progress of the hand up or down the keyboard, as well as "into" and "out of" each key, would necessarily arise. To
prevent this, the student must keep* the tension of the hand so firm that the distance between the tip of the thumb and
The action and that of the fifth-finger may remain unaltered. tension of the shoulder-muscles also must be absolutely steady
while they are bearing the arm up .and down the keyboard. If this is not so, miscalculation of the distance from key to
key will be the result. This fixity of distance

side
fingers
between the
a
tips
of the
two outthe
of the
must
become
"physical
memory" with
student before he can execute any arm-swing-passage following type with certainty and dash
:
Allegro.
Tschaikowsky Op.
72,
No.
18.
i4=&i=^t
fer
rr^
>t
P
75.
V
at a
SECTION
In playing the
above chord-and-octave passage

will note that a fresh
quick
speed the student
element
is
introduced,
namely, a rapid changing of the mould of the hand during the swing of the arm. In the above passage there are fifteen arm-swings. When the arm starts on a new swing the fingers instantaneously change from their old pose into a new one,
155
themselves
the
shaping
for
coming chord
:
or
octave
and
whenever this new pose is taken, the muscles are then "fixed" in the see Sec. 62. If, during the remainder of the swing
pose, the fingers concerned in the coming chord are not spaced with their tips at the same distances from each other
new
as the notes (keys) to be played keyboard, and if the arm does
lie
from each other

bring
the
on
the
not
hand down
"cleanly," that is, landing the finger-tips in the middle of each - wrong notes. key, the result will be
It
will
be remembered
as regards
:
that
at
the beginning of Sec. 74
the hand,
into
its
tension,
was,
;
for analysis,
divided
portions out of consideration the
two
(1) the
Palm thumb and
(2) the
its
Leaving to extend itself power

Fingers.
sideways from the palm, the act of drawing the other four fingers together or of widening them is originated by muscles lying between the bones in the palm of the hand. The incessant change of pose going on among the fingers during pianoplaying
is
thus to a considerable extent

the
of
the
result
of
work
play correctly body without making these changes at the right moment, and with
itself.
done
in
the
hand
To
precision,
is
impossible.
SECTION
A
76.
study of the act of assuming hand-moulds may now be begun.

will
and
preserving
seeing
to
various
exercises
that
The following
demand
the student's
closest
attention,
the
tips of the playing-fingers
must be so held as
measure the
same distance from each other as the piano-keys composing and that the arm the chord or octave lie from each other must drop the hand so cleanly that no other keys than those are felt. The exact "middle" of each key must therefore be
;
touched by the finger-tip
see No. 4 of Sec. 74.
156
Ex. LVII.
the octave-span.
One
"physical (muscular)
simplest tests of the student's see end of Sec. 74 is memory"
of the
To
test
this
(1)
Place the
first
and
fifth
fingers of the
8va_
right-hand on the notes
Pfc==i:
or
tne
left
on
-w
TT"
and hold these keys at low-level, keeping the tips of the second, third, and fourth fingers from touching any keys. (2) Raise the arm and hand about six inches directly above these two keys, taking care, while doing so, to keep the hand and fingers "braced": that is, controlled muscularly, so that they retain in the air the same mould or shape they had when holding down the keys. (3) Hold the hand quite still in this mould for a couple of seconds while thinking intently of its muscular feeling, and then destroy the mould by letting all the fingers tumble together. During this collapse of the fingers, the wrist, elbow, and shoulder-joint must be kept The palm of the hand will therefore not fall. motionless.
(4) Let the fingers
of seconds,
doing
so,
remain in this collapsed state for a couple and then resume their previous braced pose. In the student must try to recollect the
exact muscular feeling the hand had before the fingers were allowed to collapse. (5) Let the hand and arm now ''fall," the thumb and fifth-finger dropping on
to the
two keys from which they rose. If the drop is executed and the mould of the hand has been resumed with perfect exactness, the two fingers will touch nothing but their own keys. Any hand which, when in the octave-span, is
neatly,
large enough to allow of a slight the thumb see Sec. 70 and 74
crook
- -
at
the
nail-joint of
little
will
probably have
trouble in avoiding untidiness of touch.
157
This exercise should be worked

touch the exact "middle" of the keys
accurately.
at
until
the student can

in
many
times
succession
Ex. LVIII. After this may come the study of the armswing with the hand fixed in the octave-pose. Scales played
in the
following
way
furnish
good material
for practice.
L.
H.
m
--
R. H.
f
The swing
while the
air
of the
arm and hand

along a
(see Sec. 11)
takes
latter travels
curvilinear
;
path
in
place the
from any octave to the following one. During the armthe fingers must remain swing, the whole hand must be fixed without movement in themselves and the wrist must be
;
braced," though always capable of delicate adjustment on account of the varying relation of the hand to the fore-arm
"
during the passage
see Sec. 78.

is
The above exercise hand-mould throughout

swinging arm.
a study for the retention
of
one
a
whole
similar
passage
in
played
to
with
Ex.
LIX.
octave one
An may be
exercise
scope
the
above
the
practised with the fingers
posed
for
interval of a sixth
158
This
5 and
must be played with the three fingerings 4 and 1 and 5 and 2 and with the left-hand also.
:
Ex. LX.
A
:
similar exercise
may be had
playing
thirds
instead of sixths
For
this,
the student
would do well
to
use as
many
as possible
of the fingerings given in Ex. LIII, Sec. 72. This will give him the experience of "fixation" in a variety of hand-poses.
Ex. LXI.
1
of a fourth ought also to be
The same passage played with the interval worked at; and with the fingerings
5.
and 2: 2 and 4: and 3 and
the fingerings
two preceding exercises the hands, while using 1 and 2: 2 and 3: 2 and 4: 4 and 5: and 3 and 5, should be held fully extended, and at fairly high tension. This will accustom them to the attitude and
In the
physical condition necessary for chords such as the following,

in
any key
Other exercises of the type of Ex. LVII., though of greater These will employ the difficulty, should now be practised.
inner as well as the outside fingers of the hand.
finger,
All
three-
four-finger,
and
five-finger
chords
material for testing the student's muscular
may memory
be used as
(physical
memory), and they must be practised rhythmically.
159
Ex. LXII.
For example,
1
let
him choose any chord, say

3
ElEz,
At
and count slowly
-- 2
4 during the
test.
at 2, raise the arm and hand let him play the chord; 1, with the fingers retaining the fixed mould of the chord; at 3,
destroy the mould, though keeping the wrist braced (see At the following 1, Ex. LVIL), and at 4, resume the mould. hand on to the chord and continue the let him drop the
exercise in the
same rhythmic manner.

is
When
like the
the chord used for the exercise
an extended one
the student will find difficulty in dropping to He may be inclined to excuse the keys absolutely cleanly. for any untidiness of drop by concluding that his himself
above,
stretch
between the fingers

content
if
is is
may be
that
only he
and accordingly, not big enough able to come down on the chord
;
without playing any wrong notes. But let him not be convinced the untidiness is unavoidable until he has tested his
hand-tension
difficulty of
in
every possible
way.
in
For small
matter
is
hands the
of
attaining perfection
this
course
greater.
When
arm-spring
such chords are played

- -
at
the
conclusion
of
an
as in a passage
:
like
the
following,
from "La
Campanella"
of Paganini-Liszt
L.
Animate.
"
-Sf
=$=
r
the widening and narrowing of the angle at the consequent alteration of the angle made
the
at
elbow,
and
the wrist by the line along the outside of the lower-arm, and (2) that (1) along the outer edge of the palm of the hand, have to be
carefully adjusted.
160^
SECTION
Some
and
77.
hand-mould are
:
exercises for the practice of rapid change of tension This change has been given here.
Sec. 75. These hand-moulds and then a two-finger change.
already noticed
a one-finger,
contain
first
Ex. LXIII.
to
Let the student play

the
and then
change
RJ5==ii^== taken with

No.
2.
same
1
fingering.
The
4.
rhythm for
At
this is as follows.
Count slowly
--2
and then smartly raise the arm and 1, play chord No. 1, hand six inches above these same keys. At 2, pause. During
quick
rise
the
following
1,
the
second-finger
the
must
of
rapidly change its pose by moving sideways the hand meanwhile remaining "fixed." At 3,
rest
drop
the
arm
again rapidly to the same height. If the fingers, at the drop, touch any other keys than G, F, D, and G, then either' they have been wrongly posed, or the hand has been clumsily dropped. If both rises
2,
and hand on
to
chord No.
and
rise
are correctly made, the hand will be stationary "in the air" some little time before beat 2 or beat 4 arrives. During the
quick rise following

rapidly
to
its
3,
the
second-finger
At
4,
must revert
at
2.
original
pose.
pause,
as
This
chord-alternating process must be continued (with frequent rests for the hand) until the drop" has become as "clean" as the student's special build of hand will permit.
For the practice of the change of one finger of hand-mould, the following chords may serve as models.
R. H.
czfir
the
L.
H.
(1)
For changing the 2nd finger
161
R. H.
L.
H.
(2)
For changing the 3rd finger

R. H.
L.
H.
(3)
4th
in
These chords as well as those

be practised
in
the
next exercise must
every key.
of
t
Ex. L X I V. For the change mould the following are models.

(4)
wo
fingers of the
hand-
For the 2nd and 3rd fingers
(5)
2nd
4th
(6)
3rd
4th
After
Ex.
LXV.
as
these
exercises
have been worked
at,
the same octave for the above using must then be played in combination with a "change," they swing of the arm. A one-octave swing will be extended enough for preliminary practice. The notation for the right-hand of No. 1, Ex. LXIIL, will
shown
8va
be
accordingly:
^t=
student
and
lE
I I
for
the
left-hand.
The
may
afterwards
practise
the
wo-
octave
The
arm-swing with the same twelve
alterations.
student must keep in mind that, in order to facilitate cleanness of descent (exactness of touch) at these various William Townsend, Modern Piano-Teaching.
162
parts of the keyboard,
the
is,
wrist
liberty
must be allowed a
of
this
certain
amount of "play" Let him re-read
that
action
for
the
remarks
on
matter
made
adjustment. at the
beginning of Sec. 29, and
in Ex.
LVIII. of Sec. 76.
For some excellent hints on chord-playing and change of hand-mould the student may refer to Dr. Riemann's "Anleitung zum Studium der technischen Ubungen," published as an appendix to Mertke's "Technical Exercises."
SECTION
of the tension of the Wrist.
It
78.
In several sections of this chapter
mention has been made

in
has been said that

itself
is
octave-
playing, failure will result
if
the
act too independently of the be "braced," that is, held by
hand a r m and
;
allowed to
that
the wrist must
muscular tension.
octave-playing,
On
the other
hand
it
has been said
that, in
the wrist
must
be allowed to have a certain amount of "play" to permit of alteration of the various angles formed by the line of the fore-arm and the line along the side of the hand. And the
one statement seems to contradict the other. But by the term "fixation" of the wrist
stood
is
to
be under- -
not
state
it
of absolute
inflexibility of the joint
state in
which
is
incapable of individual movement
in
any
exaggerated conception of fixation the relation of the hand to the arm will be regarded as somewhat similar
to that of a
direction.
In this
pen
to the holder in
-
which
it
is
fixed
the
if
two
is
being moved
carried out
also,
together as one
jointlessly.
And
this
it will act detrimentally on the arm's upper parts cramping the action of the elbow and shoulder-joint. by The need of a continual alteration of the various angles made by the line of the fore-arm and that along the side of the hand arises from the determinate line of the keyboard in
relation to the fixed seat of the player.
The
line of the
key-
163
board, extending right and left of the player, gives a distance about two feet measured from its central note to the
at either
of
extreme note
centre
end.
And
these
distances
from
the
as well as
its
all
lesser distances
is
affect the
as far as
line-relation to the fore-arm
hand, concerned see

:
beginning of Sec. 29.

experiment.
Let
the
This
may
be proved
student,
sitting
by the following at the "middle" of the

*
keyboard, place his right-hand on

the angle
1-gp
0-
and carefully note
edge of the palm (from the wrist to the fifth-finger knuckle) and (2) the Let him by muscular line along the outside of the fore-arm. tension "fix" this angle firmly, and, with the hand and fore-
made by
(1) the line along the outside
arm kept
in
this
exact
relationship,
lift
the
arm from
the
piano, open out the angle at the elbow, and place his fifthHe will find that the finger on the top A of the keyboard.
tip of the
It
thumb cannot now touch

little
the
an
octave
below.
touches B, some
way "up"
that key:
the distance between the tips of thumb remained unaltered. In order to touch the lower
tip
and this, although and fifth-finger has
with the
distance remaining still unaltered the outside angle at the wrist made by the two lines above
of the
thumb
- - this
mentioned must be widened. Conversely, this now widened angle must be narrowed if the same notes three octaves lower If this is not done, the tip of the thumb, are to be played.
when
the tip of the
fifth
touches
its
spot on
HrFiiE
*'
wil1
be
off the
keyboard.
Ex. LXVI.
For the practice

exercise
fifth
of the
gradual
used.
alteration
of this angle the following
may be
of
Let
the
student place the thumb and

notes
hffi>
the
right-hand
on the
on the surface of these keys
at high-level, and,
ll*
164
keeping the tips of the three inner-fingers slightly raised so do not brush against the black keys, slowly glide
up the keyboard (touching its surface with the thumb and fifth-finger)v till the top A is reached by the fifth. Care must be taken that the tips of the two touching-fingers keep always the same distance from each other, and also that they keep the same distance from the front edge of
that they the hand
the white keys

will
all
the
way
up.
ensure
at
the
gradual
This
alteration
angle
the
wrist.
toneless
precaution (opening out) of the g 1 i s s a n d o must be
This
latter
until the practised many the opening and closing of the wrist-angle is exact.
times up and down,
grading
of
The same must be

notes
practised by the left-hand,

to glide to
using the
octave
of
m
K^
from which
the lowest
the keyboard.
During this gliding-up-and-down on the surface of the keys, the weight of the balanced arm must lean gently on If this is properly managed, them. a species of purring sound will be heard, caused by the finger-tips as they pass over the interstices between the keys.
Ex.
LXVIL
anxious
to
The above gliding-up-and-down on

is
the
surface of the keys
good
preparatory study for the player

the
who
of
is
be able to execute
s s a n
d o
in
octaves necessary for such a passage as that in the Prestissimo
Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 53. To preserve an absolutely uniform
speed
in
descending
or ascending the keyboard, coupled with the fine grading of the wrist-angle and the conveyance to the keys of an amount
of
arm-weight
sufficient to
is
make each key produce

to
the desired
amount
playing.
of tone,
the problem
be solved
in
glissando-
165
The student must begin by gliding with only a single finger up and down the keyboard; and during the preliminary
stages of practice
he must not attempt to produce

that should be looked for at first is a very
any tone.
All
slight depression of
each key from
its
high-level
1
as
'
the
arm
finger glidingly up and down the keyboard. And this depression must be "equal in amount. no key must be allowed to sink farther down than That is
carries the tensely held
hand and
its
neighbour
that
If
sign
the
unequal.
Inequality of key-depression is a conveyance or distribution of arm-weight is this is not attended to from the beginning the
has
gone.
passage
will
be liable
to
stick,
the
finger-tip
being
caught
against the side of the key next to the already depressed one.
Toneless practice must be continued
until
the
arm
has
learned to glide the finger across the keys at a uniform speed, and until the student is able to convey weight to the keys
without
much
feeling of effort.
at
The speed
along the surface of the keys two octaves on the keyboard.

this
which the arm must draw the tense finger is about one second of time to
Any speed much slower than
tends to
make
the finger stick.
With the exception of the thumb, each finger of both hands with the nail presented to the keys must be practised in ascending and descending glissando-single-note-scales with When the thumb the hand held first supine, and then prone. The student should is used, the hand is held always prone. not practise for long at a time those scales in which the skin of the finger is presented to the keys, as it becomes easily chafed. These are all played with the hand prone. They are played by the second, third, fourth, and fifth-finger of the and by the right-hand descending, and of the left ascending thumb of the right-hand ascending, and of the left descending.
;
166
He
will
produce tone
soon discover when it is advisable to attempt to from the glissando-scale. Let him be content
at first with only the very smallest amount of sound. When he can execute the single-finger scale of two or three octaves with a fairly regular equal tone he may then try to play a
scale in sixths
the
same hand.
up and down, with first and fifth-finger of Here the skin of the first-finger and the nail
of the fifth will be presented to the keys, while ascending with the right-hand or descending with the left. This order will of course be reversed while playing with either hand a
scale
scale in sixths
this
towards the centre of the keyboard. The must be practised tonelessly at first. The octave-glissando mentioned at the beginning of exercise comes last of all practised tonelessly at first,
proceeding
:
and then with tone.
An example
found
in Liszt's
of
the
glissando
double-scale
these
in
thirds
is
15th Rhapsodic.
for
all
The hand-tension necessary
double-scales
must be very firm in order to preserve a steady fixed distance between the two playing finger-tips and the nail-joint of the
;
first-finger
(thumb) will naturally crook
itself.
SECTION
79.
Besides the alterations of the wrist-angle described in the preceding section there remain to be considered those alterations
in the wrist-angle
made by
(1)
the
line
down
the centre of
of the hand.
the fore-arm,
and
(2) that along
(down) the back
Ex. LXVIII.
here meant,
braced, hold
let
To make
the student certain of

0-
what
is
him, while keeping the whole hand fairly well

the notes
*
down
[]^
and,
with
gentle
this
^pswaying motion,
elevate
and depress the
wrist.
During
167
motion the mentioned
alteration of the angle

lines
takes
place.
practised with the left-hand. not be allowed to sink.
made by the two aboveThe same motion must be The fifth-finger knuckle must
Ex. LXIX. Another form of the previous exercise is got by making the wrist execute a combined rotary and revolving (circular) movement, while keeping the thumb and fifth-finger on the same two held-down keys. The movement must be made in two directions; the wrist starting its circle (1) upwards and to the right, and (2) upwards and to the left. In this more complex form of wrist-movement the whole hand must
a fairly tense condition. This exercise, even for large hands, is a tiring one; and in order to allow the hand of small stretch to get full benefit from the drill, the octavein
be kept
span should not be used at first. Two notes a sixth apart may be used instead. The student must not forget to take frequent rests.
SECTION
In the
80.
of the fore-arm
two preceding sections movements
and hand,
discussed.
resulting in angle-alterations at the wrist,
have been
If, during these movements, the student has given attention to the elbow and shoulder-joint, he will have any noted that, when the wrist was elevated, the elbow approached
the keyboard,
and accordingly that the slope of the upperto the body was altered and that an alteration in relation of upper-arm to body took place also when the hand was being "carried" up or down the keyboard.
arm with
relation
In other words,
that,
during any of these seemingly
merely
whole arm was employed. In the manner in which movements at the three are joints shoulder, elbow, and wrist lies the art of octave-playing. combined,
wrist-movements, the
-
168
It
is
probable
that,
to the
student,
for
the
only
reason
for
of
the rise of the wrist as well as

the
the
putting
forward
elbow (and
therefore
of
the
fore-arm)
during
octave-
playing, will be the slightly higher level of the black keys as compared with that of the white, and the distance of their
near ends from the outer edge of the white keys: that edge nearest the player.
is,
the
Ex.
such as
:
LXX.
But
if
the execution
of
any octave-passage
Chopin.
Chopin.
No.
No. 2
No. 3
were considered from that point of view only, then the whole passage would be treated "in a succession of short straight lines" proce e d ing from each note to the following
one,
instead of in curves, each curve including two, three, To attempt to play any of the above passages or more notes.
in the
former of these ways would be to

of
omit
it
some
of
the
possibilities
arm-movement.
is,,
To
play
in the
latter is to
combined action of which enables and hand all its parts upper-arm, fore-arm, And to use less than the student to play easily and quickly.
use the "whole" arm, that
to use that
that will hinder his execution of the passage.
169
To
"in
illustrate
straight
what is meant by treating the octave-passage lines," and "in curve-lines," let the following
keyboard
used
in
diagram represent that portion of the first of the examples given above
:
the
Left Hand.
and the spots signify the actual place on by the finger-tips.
each
key touched
The spots connected by straight lines are placed as near each other as would be comfortable for the player who should
imagine that to have them placed thus
to increase
would be equivalent the passage. The straight executing speed line drawn from spot to spot represents the shortest distance between one spot and the next; and each spot is at the vertex
of
in
of an angle. At each spot, the wrist-centre is travelling
therefore,
the direction in
must be
altered.
which There are thus

the place
four
alterations of direction in the note-pattern.

at
The spots connected by the dotted line are on each key touched by the finger-tips as they
the periphery of
the
curvilinear
figure
travel
along
this
while
executing
same passage.
170
It
will
must
the
be
be noted that the length measured round the ellipse greater than that along the four-sided figure
seeing
that the
this
latter
it
(trapezoid),
is
contained wholly within
former.
From
fact
might
be
thought
that
the
wrist-centre
would take a longer time to travel round the But in travelling round the latter there is elliptic figure. no change of direction; in the trapezoid there are
four changes
:
one
at
each angle.
SECTION
The arm, while guiding
the
81.
hand round the periphery
of of
the ellipse, executes a complex movement. The the wrist-centre above the level of the keys It rises and falls like a switchback. varying.
height
is
constantly
The
figure
executed during the

ellipse
It
:
rise
and
fall
is
that
of
the
"reversed"
see Sec. 52.
will
on
the
be noted also that the distances between the spots ellipse are all unequal; while the note-pattern
contains
four
a
notes
of
of
equal
ellipse
length.
This
alteration of
is
case
the
divided
unequally as to speed: see Sec. 43. This speed during the ellipse, necessary in order to make the latter fit the rhythm of the note-pattern, adds another
element of complexity to
its
execution.
lastly, there are to be considered the constant action and minute degree of fore-arm rotation (pronation and This will vary slightly according to the size and supination).
;
And
breadth
of
the
player's
hand,
and
also
If he uses 1 fingering he makes use of. the wrist will have less independent action used for the two pairs of black keys, there
:
according to the and 5 throughout,

if 1
and 4 are
be
rather
of
will
more turning
shoulder-joint.
of the
hand sideways,
and
less
action
the
171
In
is
used
example No. 2 - see Sec. 44

the
of this
-
section,
all
the "ordinary" ellipse
its.
lower-curve,
four octaves are played to the upper-curve occurring between the
and
first note of the following group. In a contrast to example No. 1, in which presents the four octaves are played to the upper- curve: the lower-
A# and
this
D#
the
matter
it
curve occurring between B and E. Example No. 3 contains two note-patterns one of four, the other of three notes and they are both made to an upper-curve. The two curves are connected by a Loop of the wrist made rapidly on B.
:
From
a comparison of No.
with No. 2 the student
will!
probably discover that the reason why the place of the uppercurve in the one is taken by the lower-curve in the other, is
In
a difference in the order or arrangement No. 1 they occupy an inner position

:
of
in
the
black keys.
;
No. 2 an outer
it
and as
than that of the white keys natural that the wrist-level should be higher also.
their level is higher
is
SECTION
But from
for
this fact
it
82.
must not be
wrist-level.
concluded
there
is
that
if
an
octave-passage contain no black keys

necessity
variety
of
therefore
no
undulating
latter
movement
is
of the wrist is
contrary, the favourable to the securing
On
the
also of a curvilinear
key-pathway
for
the
to
fingers
and the
again
in
many
exact
cases favourable
the
acquirement
of speed,
to
the
avoidance of muscular
"placing" of the finger-tips, and to These statements will have fatigue.
been proved by the student in the case of note-patterns containing both black and white keys, if he has worked faithHe must now begin the fully at those given in Sec. 80. of octave-passages for white keys only, for the easiest study
172
execution
of
many
of
which,
curvilinear pathways
on the keys
are essential.
At the beginning of Sec. 44 the definition was given of the term "ordinary'' ellipse and at the beginning of Sec. 52 of the term "reversed" ellipse. The student must keep these
;
as otherwise he will have difficulty in fitting any white-key octave-passage with its correct curve-lines. To give an example of this fitting of the one to the other:
clearly in mind,
Ex. L
XX
I.
If
123432
curve
here
;
the following note-pattern, in single notes is fitted correctly with its ellipse, the first
three notes will, according to the definition gj ven j n Sec. 44, be played to a lower-
the last three to an upper.

is
The
only curvilinear pathway
followed
that described
by the wrist-centre
:
in
the
air, the finger-tips being led passively to and from their places on their keys by the rolling-motion of the arm see Sec. 23.
But
if
that
same
note-pattern played in octaves then each "set" of notes is played by
be
the
same
in the
finger
first-finger in the
fifth
throughout by the lower set, and by the
higher.
player,
beginning of this section it was said that the sake of nursing his physical strength and of in octave-playing, should make use of the acquiring speed
At
the
for
the
wrist's faculty
in undulating, sinuous, rolling movement other words, should use a combination-movement of a 1 the And the examples already given have been parts of the arm. It will note-patterns containing both black and white keys.
of
be found
that,
even
in
an octave-passage containing only white
keys, the undulating movement of the wrist will suggest to the finger-tips the desirability of their varying their position of advancing to and retiring from the neighbourhood of
173
the near ends of the black keys.
The rise of the wrist an advance of the fore-arm: the fall, suggests Its a retreat. highest elevation is synchronous with
closest
;
the
black keys
will
and vice versa.

fitted
proximity of the finger-tips to the ends of the Given any white-key octavewith
its
it
and then to fix on where the highest, and those parts of the single-note passage on those where the lowest wrist-elevations should take place: in other words, to find the most suitable fingering for it, and
to
passage to be have first
correct curve-lines,
the
student
reduce
to single notes,
to
fit
that fingering with curve-lines.
To
return then to the pattern in single notes given above
123 432
Its
diagram
is
<\ v
RJL
-
J7
'
the
D
curvilinear
air by
wrist's
lowest
figure representing the line described in the wrist-centre during the arm-rolling-motion. elevation therefore is between the first
:
the The
and
E
D.
of the note-pattern
its
highest
between the
last
E and
the note-pattern is played in octaves, the curveline described in the air by the wrist-centre is the same as
it
When
is
the statement
will
when played in single notes. Therefore, according to made in the preceding paragraph, the finger-tips,
between
the
first
be nearest the outer edge of the keys
of the note-pattern, and nearest the ends of the A comparison of the black keys between the last E and D.
and E
following diagram, representing the finger-tip pathway on the of this paragraph, flat - - with the diagram at the beginning the wrist's pathway "in the air" shows a representing
marked
similarity
between the two.
174
JRlcrht
Hand.
SECTION
In deciding as to
83.
of
which notes
any white-key octave-
passage are to be played to the lower-curve and which to the upper-curve of an ellipse, the student need never be in
a difficulty
written in
ellipse.
the passage as if it were and fit these to the "ordinary" single notes, When that has been decided, he will then see, from
if
he will
first
play
the undulating line made by the wrist-centre, how to construct a finger-tip key-pathway corresponding exactly with that
undulating line. A very simple solution of this "correspondence" may be had if the student will think of a coin lying flat on
the white keys with a part of its rim hinged to a spot close to their front edge. By means of the hinge the coin may be
made
its
to stand
on end.
- -
When
lying
flat, the
- -
line
round
rim represents
though only approximately

-
tip
key-pathway
when standing on
approximately
air.
-
end,
that
the fingerthat same
line represents
- -
the
line
the
wrist-
centre describes in the
certain part of the coin
- the
hinged
part
locates
in
itself
both finger-tip proximity to
175
key-edge,
and
also
lowest
elevation
of
wrist-centre.
playing, these two things occur
at the
in
same
moment.
The student
illustration,
will of
course understand that
the above
is
the
circular
strictly.
shape of the coin's rimoutline
not
to
be considered
by either the finger-tips

elliptic.
pathway followed or the wrist-centre will probably be

line
The
of the
Ex. LXXII.
-
Some white-key
in
to be
played
octaves
fit
of the student's ability to
sequential note-patterns are given here as a test such with their correct finger-tip
key-pathways.
12431
hJr
r?
1235431 f
^.
-m
f-\
176
key-pathway for the passage as an octave-passage. If he has kept in mind the general rule given at the beginning of Sec. 44 he will see that the above sequential note-patterns
will
be played to the "ordinary"
elliptic figure.
Ex. LXXIII.' Another octave-note-pattern of sequential nature, in which the sequence is at first sight perhaps less
apparent,
is
the following
Played
in
single
notes,
these
would
UPPER
suggest
unequal
curve lines, as
UPPER
l
R. H.
-T>^*
^
they
are
better
See Sec. 47. But for treatment as

subdivided as follows
:
octave-passages
177
Ex. LXXIV. The following exercises will accustom the student to the rapid interchange of high and low wrist-level:
LOW HIGH
HIGH LOW
LOW HIGH
LOW HIGH
No. 2
The change from low

very smartly, and the
to high
wrist-level
of
must be made
every alternate Ex. 2, in which a contrary action note preserved throughout. of the wrists is taught, is a good preparatory study for all octave-scales in which the same pairs of notes are not
careful
accentuation
played simultaneously keys are present.
in
both
hands,
and
in
which
black
Examples
and 2 may then be played
as
if
written
in
triplets, accentuating the first note of every triplet, the wrist-motion now undulating, instead of jerky.
and making
Two
triplets
of
quavers motion of the wrist.
will
be
played
to
each complete up-and-down
SECTION
84.
The execution of arpeggios in octaves is comparatively simple when the note-pattern contains even one black key,
as the presence of this key both guides the eye and relieves The black key's place in the arpeggio determines the moment at which the wrist-curve is at its highest. But
the wrist.
when
the arpeggio in
is
octaves contains
risk.
white
keys
only,
its
execution
attended with some
The
difficulty of
avoiding
2
miscalculation of the distance from key to key in the arpeggio
William Town send, Modern
Piano-Teaching.
178
is increased, the uniform level and colour of the keys affording no key-board assistance to either the wrist or the eye. Help And the then must be looked for from another quarter. who has already experienced what the arm-rollingstudent motion and the undulating movement of the wrist can do for him will probably be not surprised to find that they will help him to surmount the present difficulty also.
Ex.
LXXV.
One
of
single notes is
1242 ==ii=i::
the simplest forms of arpeggio in
This, played to an "ordinary
UPPER
ellipse, gives
:
UPPER
LOWER
LOWER
Having fixed on the pathway of the wrist-curves and the direction in which they are to be followed, the student, when he plays the above arpeggio in octaves, has only to remember
that the
descent
of the finger-tips
is, the edge player wrist by a leading of the finger-tips nearer
of the wrist is accompanied by a drawing that towards the near edge of the keys -- and the ascent of the nearest the
the
is
ends
of the
black keys.
and-retire
The whole complex movement movement of the arm and hand,
(1)
an advance-
(2) the describing
on the keys (close to their surface) by the finger-tips, and (3) the describing of a curvilinear pathway "in the air" by the wrist-centre. The tension of shoulder, arm, and hand, necessary for the control of the distance between thumb and fifth-finger, and for the rapid conveyance of the whole hand from key to key must never
of a curvilinear pattern
be "
forgotten.
The
student
will
understand
that
the
terms
finger-
drawing back the finger-tips" and "leading forward the

imply
tips"
no independent individual move-
179
ment
is
of the
fingers themselves.
shoulder.
If
The movement
made from the Ex. L XX VI.
either
-jg
P f~f
be played
inversion of the above arpeggio in octaves, a difficulty

in playing the rootwill
-Ilil
No.
1
SI not experienced
chord
No. 2
be encountered. Example
No.
is
2,
notated to
show
the curves of the ellipse to

:
which
it
played, presents the following curve-plan
HIGH
HIGH
HIGH
LOW
The same,
graphically
illustrated,
is
or
approximately so. This is a case
in
which the
different
different parts
In
of the ellipse
are travelled over at
speeds.
the
two
note-
patterns
is
be seen that although the sound-distance the same throughout - - in other words, the notes are all
it
will
of the
same
Therefore,
length the hand,
the
distance on
the
when
playing
the
keyboard varies. passage in octaves,
will
be hurried over the interval of the fourth
more quickly than over

will
that
of the
third
be impossible for
the
is
student
to
consciously
alter
is
the
speed when the hand
travelling quickly.
But
it
possible
12*
180
for
him
to
regulate
it
in
some measure.
a
By very
slightly
slightly
raising the wrist when he comes to the the hand will be given the fourth
greater
interval
increased
"throw" or "swing,"
and the fingers
will thus
be landed on
the required notes (keys).
Conversely, when, in an arpeggio in octaves, the interval between any pair of neighbouring keys is smaller than that between any other neighbouring pair, as in the following between G and F
:
UPPER
UPPER
-OWER
the "throw" of the
LOWER
in
hand
In
will
be slightly decreased
impetus.
beginning the study of two-handed both hands simultaneously, those in octave-arpeggios contrary motion must be worked at first, as the student will
Ex.
LXXVII.
with
then have similar
curves
in
both
hands
simultaneously.
is
In
each of the three following examples the arpeggio on the lower-curve, and finished on the upper.
begun
They may then be permutated
in the six possible ways, No. 1 of the right-hand played with Nos. 2 and 3 in namely, the left, No. 2 of the right-hand with Nos. 1 and 3 in the and No. 3 of the right-hand with Nos. 1 and 2 in the left,
left.
In
each of these six cases more complexity

is
introduced, as the "throw" in both hands the same moment.

is
of movement made n o t at
181
Ex. L
XX VI
1 1.
The above examples may afterwards be

:
that is, playing the practised in parallel (similar) motion same notes in both hands. The parallelism is, however, seen
only
in the
notation
left to
arms from
right,
and in the journey of the hands and and vice versa, simultaneously. The
:
curve-lines of the ellipse travel in compound-parallel-motion that is, the lower-curve in the one hand is executed simul-
taneously with the upper-curve in the other.

plained
in Sec. 49.
This
was
ex-
Ex.
LXXIX.
The above
six octave-arpeggio exercises give, in
compound-
parallel-motion, the permutations of the inversions possible for the first example in Ex. LXXV. They must be transposed
into every key,
major and minor. For some helpful hints on Octave-playing, see Matthay's "Relaxation Studies," Set XV.
SECTION
In
85.
No. 6 of Sec. 37,
certain tension of
distribution of
Sec. 69,
It
that
and in Sec. 42, it was said that a hand and arm is necessary for the equal and at the beginning of weight to the keys the same is necessary for legato-playing also.
;
may perhaps
clear
if
this matter
help the student to keep his ideas on he in the meantime think of the term
Weight as equivalent to Speed of Hammer-blow. Weight and the amount of tone is the result of produces tone the speed at which the key is depressed by weight coming from muscles of the back, chest, and shoulder through the
;
182
arm the quicker the speed the greater the tone see Sec. 3, It will help to keep his mind clear if he also avoid 4, and 7.
: :
between finger-weight, hand-weight, foreand think of all tone - - even when of the arm-weight, etc., smallest quantity - - as coming simply from the Arm. It is evident that by the term "equal distribution" of
trying to differentiate
some is instituted, seeing that no Pianoforte-tone can be thought of as "equal." Theresingle two tones at least must be involved in the term. And fore,
weight
comparison
the student will find that
when
tones
follow
each
other
in
a background of tension in the arm and hand is needed to regulate or govern equality of production. each student should It is of paramount importance that
quick succession
make
it
a critical study of his
own
in all its
moods.
Its
particular
hand, and learn to understand build and muscle-vesture
must be closely studied. As a general rule, the soft and loosely-jointed hand will be unable, without special training
in the art of tension,
and
built
brilliant
tone
execute quick passages with a clear whether loudly or softly. Even the wellto
hand may have its weak spot, obstructing the passing When this is the of the arm-weight through to the keys. be in the neighbourhood case, the location will not unlikely See Sec. 74. of the knuckles of the fourth and fifth-finger.
In playing the familiar note-pattern
i
every
student will be
aware
making
of
all
the the
difficulty
met with
in
tones (notes) of equal value. By the term equal "value" is here implied equal strength, as well as
equal length.
Most pupils
less
will
make
C,
D,
C
n
454
'_
sound weaker
sonorous
than the other
notes of the pattern, and will probably conclude that this is the result of the weakness of the
fourth and
fifth
fingers
the fingers being regarded probably
183
as implements for striking the keys: see Sec. 16 and 17. if the fifth-finger side of the palm-square has been drilled
it
But
sufficiently,
will then,
even though the hand
may
not be of
ideal perfection of build, be capable of sufficiently firm to enable it to transfer to
assuming a tension
each key (note)
in
Weight at the Speed necessary to elicit the The student will find little difficulty required amount of tone. in doing this if he has thoroughly mastered the muscular action detailed in Ex. XLVI., Sec. 64, and Ex. XLVII., Sec. 65.
any
passage
of
induced tension necessary before tone any special brightness or distinctness can be produced in rapid passages will depend on the natural muscle-consistency belonging to each hand, and on the special aesthetic necessity
of e g g i e r o and rapid so often in the compopassages occurring sitions of Chopin and Liszt are unplayable without some degree of fine muscular tension. The player's listening ear
The
amount
of
the
moment.
The
well-known
leggierissimo
will tell
him
how much
to use.
CHAPTER
XVII.
DOUBLE-SCALES, THE TREMOLO, THE TRILL,

SECTION
The
of the
fitting of
86.
DOUBLE -SCALES.
wrist-curve-lines to the note-patterns of a
its
double-scale for the perfecting of
tone-production
is
one
most
difficult
tasks imposed on the student.

of double-notes
is
doublewill
scale note-pattern is any group a pair of fingers one of which
starting with
the
thumb.
This
be
understood from the following examples,

three note-patterns
X
:
each one containing
>-~-
34512 .
ti
r; fl 6 4
1 2
LU H
CV=> a
___.w 123 345

%^_
J J O TT
12 O
/I
No.
No. 2
From
it
is
the fingering of the above it will impossible to play the scales legato
be
evident
that
throughout,
and
that the difficulty consists in making the arm and hand swing so as to connect the note-patterns and play the scale a s
legato as possible.
The
notes
impossibility of
legato
making may be proved

first
all
if
the neighbouring pairs of the last pair of the first
note-pattern and the
pair of the second in
Example No.
185
be examined.
notes there
The E
in
the one pair

third-finger,
are both taken with the

is
and the A in the other and between these two
the interval of a fourth.

it
But though
of the "sets"
-
is
impossible to
is,
it
that
the scale
legato,
set.
is
make all the notes of one - - in upper or lower row of notes quite possible to do so in the case
in
of the other
And
this,
double-scale
with the
all
above fingering
be expected.
in thirds
and
in
quick
tempo,
of
is
that can
Other fingerings,
by
means
may be played
:
later
on
absolutely see end of Sec. 89.
legato,
will
which passages be mentioned

set of notes
In playing either of the

-
upper
in the right
above examples, the hand, lower in the left
which may
be played
legato
is
executed with the help of a series of
Loops made by the wrist-centre. The following exercises will show the student how to apply the loop to the doublescale.
SECTION
Ex. L
finger on
87.
X X X.
_
Let the student place his right-hand fourth
pfc
outline
holding the key at low-level,
and make
a circular
with the wrist-centre.

part of the
and-hand-movement a
over the keys.
palm
During this armmust be held directly
This
may be done by
it
wards, that
is,
making
keys of the piano. If will be diagonal to

front.
turning the wrist inpoint in the direction of the central this is done the line along the fingers
that
along
its
The
:
wrist
is,
must make
keys from back to upper-curve from left to

the
right
that
proceeding
in the direction
away from
in
the central
keys of the
The piano. direction: see Sec. 52.
wrist-centre
travels
"Reversed"
186
This arm-movement must be repeated many times, until any slight awkwardness consequent on the unusual handposition is removed.
The
holding
left-hand must be similarly drilled
the fourth-finger
of
down
P
7
and
the
upper-curve
the
circle
proceeding from right to left: that is, in the direction away from the central keys of the piano. Part of the palm of the hand must be held over the keys during the wrist-movement.
E x. L X X X
I.
Let
with the right-hand and

8va
pupil play the following with the given fingering.
the
scale
'
- +-*
No.
The
must be held turned inwards: that is, pointing towards the central keys of the piano. When the fourth-finger - is from right to left - - is made played, the lower-curve and the hand supinated; when the third-finger is played the - from left to right is made and the hand upper-curve
wrist
pronated.
The "accented" curves must be made with

third-finger
arm, so as to throw the and ensure a perfect join. fourth,
swing
of the
a strong over the
The
scale
must then be played as follows:

8va
187
The
wrist
is
1,
held with the

but the start
same
is
inward
direction,
as
in*
Scale No.
now made
In
played
to
an upper-curve.
these
with the third-finger scales the continuous

of
making of the loop gives the hand the appearance engaged as if in the act of s t r r n g.
i
i
being
Ex.
L XXX
1 1.
After
mastering
the
the
above
of
scales
the
the-
student must practise them with notes of the other set:
addition
one of
R. H,
188
Ex.
sponding
LX XX IV.
:
For
the
left-hand,
the
scales
corre-
to those given in the three
preceding
exercises are
the following ten
43 43
No.
a 4
3434
___
22 4343
No. 6
No. 5
No. 2
L.
H.
3434
No. 3
4343
No. 4
1111 3434
5353
No. 9
in
1
5353
No. 7
3535
No. 8
3535
No. 10
The
notes
taken
by
the
second-finger
No. 3 and No. 6
must be played staccato. The student must keep in mind this section the third-finger and the
loop or circular wrist-motion always
that in every exercise of
upper- curve
come
at
of
the
the
in
same
time.
which the Ex. LXXXV. The following double-scale, third and fifth fingers appear in every note-pattern, affords
The latter is made practice in the making of the loop. while the third and first have hold of their keys. very swiftly
good
189
The hand
the next
is
then
swung on an upper-curve, during which

of notes are played
:
two pairs
534 312 453 231 345 123

R. H.
534 312 453 231 345 123
L.
H.
123 345 231 453

1
123 345 231 453 3 2 312 534 534

in
These must be extended

and
in the left to the
the
right-hand
to
the
top,
bottom of the keyboard. Ex. L XX XVI. A final, and searching test of the student's independence of arm-and-wrist action may be had by playing
simultaneously any one of the above three fingerings of the right-hand scale with either of the dissimilar ones of the left
This gives six combinations.
SECTION
The preceding
of the right-hand
88.
to
section
was devoted
of these,
the
consideration
double-scale ascending,
and the left-hand

:
descending.
The converse
namely
and
need perhaps less explanation, seeing that, in both of them, lower set in the right-hand, upper in the the set of notes - which can be played legato throughout, contains left the thumb, the natural pivot of the hand.
-
is
Ex. L VI I. Notwithstanding this fact, the student advised to make a special study of the set in which the thumb plays so important a part and firstly in single notes.
:
XXX
190
L? f2
2 *
2~1
R. H.
191
The swing of the hand and arm must never be The wrist-curves are played in the same manner forgotten. indicated for Ex. LXXXVII. as was
lower.
The following scales, in which the third and fifth fingers appear in many of the note-patterns, are somewhat similar to those given in Ex. LXXXIV. Like those
in the
Ex. L XX XIX.
preceding exercise they must be extended
to
at
least
two octaves.
The
in
wrist
is
at
its
highest
wherever the
a
third-finger
finger,
as
:
immediately follows
the third
first-
and
sixth
groups of the following
note-pattern
R. H.
No.
is
written out in full as a
note-patterns are to
model on which the be extended and played.

8va
other
No.
2.
3 5
213
No.
4.
3 5 2 1 3
No.
5.
192
43
213
43
213
No.
7.
3434 132 132

35
No.
9.
132
No.
8.
54
132
54
132
35
132
Ex. XC.
ones for the
The following
are the
to the
nine ascending scales
for the left-hand
right.
corresponding No. 1 is written out
above nine descending

in full.
321
321
321
321
321
54
y
No.
^
Bo * " 40 d
-<
IP tff-gE=**=
If
a 1
-
Q O
K O
i-
No.
6.
No.
8.
c&=
193

note-patterns of this
finger appears
in
that
whenever,
in
any of the
the
third-
and the
preceding
exercise,
two contiguous groups, as
or
the
first
of
the
two
notes
played
by that finger
must be
staccato.
All the exercises in this
to
be practised
in
and the preceding section ought every major and minor key, and with the
given fingering.
SECTION
In this section the
89.
double-scale will be considered as an
and measured out in octave-lengths. A scale, in this guise, must be made to return on itself to turn back at top and bottom. And the "turn-back"' must be fitted with suitable fingering, and also with correct curveacademic prescription,
lines.
In a
major two-octave double-scale
353 131
in thirds, the 3
1
lower
octave for the right-hand
is
The
next
the top octave -- consists of the same seven pairs, with a difference in the note-patterns. though The first octave of the return-scale is as follows
octave
- -
Sva
fc=M-*
P=^^S^
Fr^^l
The P air
notes
of
11 1W:
\JL
(or
which, in the ascent of the scale, was William Townsend, Modern Piano-Teaching.
taken
with
the 13
first
194
and
/
ing purposes,
This
third-finger, ought, at the top of the scale, for to be fingered with the fifth 8va\
pair,
descendand
third:
which,
in the ascent,
was
the
first
of
a note-pattern
now
the
consisting of three pairs, becomes third of a note-pattern of five pairs:
and is played to an "ordinary" ellipse; or, more correctly speaking, circle: see end
of Sec. 42.
Similarly, in the descent of the twooctave scale for the right-hand, the lower
octave,
which,
4 3 2 1
if
it
were
not
the
lowest
one,
would
be
4 3
2 1
becomes
this last note-pattern of five pairs line
being played
to
curve-
of the following type
For
similar
curve
5.
in
the
single-note
scale
see
Sec. 59,
Ex. XLIL, No.

It
will
be noted
that, in the
scale, the order of fingering
in
lowest
for every
is
given as
543 43 43
.
right-hand descending doubleevery octave except the

.
This gives 5 and 3
E and C when
With
this
E and
C.
paired together, except for the lowest order of fingering, which is different
195
from that usually given,
a similarity between the beginnings is octaves is obtained. It considered of all the descending also that a more free execution of the whole scale is possible.
will
It
also present an exact

;
hand ascending fingering

contrary-motion scale
copy and this

easier.
reversed
- -
of the left-
will
make
two-handed
much
Ex. XCI.
three octaves
is
An ascending and descending

showing
the
:
double-scale of
for both
here given, hands as described above
fingering
The top
left-hand five-pair
:
note-pattern
is
played to a
curve-line of the following type
see Sec. 59,

note-pattern
Ex. XLII.,
at
No. 3
the
bottom
of
while the left-hand five-pair the scale is played to an

13*
"ordinary" ellipse or circle.
196
The student
will note that the five-pair note-pattern in the
descending scale occupies a place in the scale different from In the descending it is that which it has in the ascending one.
fE?E
in the
ascending h/ry
If
the
scale
had
been extended two pairs of notes, so as

5
to
make
it
finish
on
the
fifth
and
third of the scale r n
no
dissimilarity
in
the placing of the

in
note-patterns
is
it
would have occurred.

in
But
few scale-manuals
In
given so.
thirds
practising
the double-scale
to
the
student
is
strongly out above in
recommended
full
It
make use
of
the
fingering
written
for every key, both major and

that this is not the easiest
minor.
must be noted
method
But seeing that a keys. scale - - and indeed all purely technical non-applied work is practised not so much for its own sake as for the good it
of fingering scales containing black
does
to the student's general pianistic intelligence,
and
to the
perfecting of his tone-production, to minimise the difficulty of each black-key-scale by choosing for it the easiest possible fingering
action of the rollingmotion of the arm is peculiarly fitted for mastering the difficulties in double-scales created by the presence of the black keys.
is to
its
miss some of
technical value.
The
Ex. XCII. In fingering the double-scale in sixths, the student may be guided by the rules given above for fingering
197
the double-scale in thirds.
Here also there
are
three
note-
patterns in
each octave
H.
X 1
1
R. H.
543
pairs,
21
5454
21
one of three
and two
of
two
pairs, in
each hand.
In the top octave of the right-hand, just before the scale
turns back,
elided,
start of the
the
second
five-pair
of
the two-pair
is
and the
note-pattern
:
note-patterns is then used for the
descending scale
8va.
..
I p I 4 5 *^F 4 6 11211
The same
is
5 4 2 1
2 1
left
the case with the lowest octave in the
hand,
just before the scale turns
back
)*
198
Of this they are essentially part of a musical phrase. type are the following Beethoven. Op. 26.
:
when
199
(3)
The use
of distant fingers in a pair of notes
554
1'
as
'
2'
(4)
The use
notes
:
of
as
54
4
'
contiguous
3
'
fingers
in
pair
of
'
or
These devices will be seen in the quotations given above. The most celebrated example of the creation of a work of art out of passages in thirds is Chopin's G# minor Etude,
Op. 25, No.
6.
SECTION 90. THE TREMOLO.

The term tremolo
for
is
used here
;
of a special Vibratory nature
to signify an arm-movement and the type of note-pattern
which the tremolo
is
used
is
the following
In these there will
be seen the rapid alternation

of
of
two
in
single
notes or pairs
notes,
or
scale
or
arpeggio
of
"broken" octaves.
The arm-movement necessary

full
for the
production
or
the
tone of the instrument
- -
whether
piano
in
such passages,
is
movement
of the
whole
forte arm. From
this the student is to infer,
to
move every
alone.
joint of the
not that he must make an attempt arm individually and simultaneously,
but rather that he must
arm
In the
o attempt to exercises for the following
make n
move the forearm-movement
this will
be more
fully explained.
.The
during a described by Caland
active co-operation of the upper-arm tremolo-movement was - - to my knowledge - - first

in the
"Technische Ratschlage fur Klavier-
200
spieler," published in 1902.
This arm-action
is
there termed
"die Schiittelbewegung"
arm
all is "shaken," elbow-, of the wrist-, or of any of the finger-joints
the shaking movement. While the intentional individual movement of the

is
debarred.
Rapid pronation and supination of the hand Sec. 18) arising solely from rotary-action of the fore-arm, (see which the appearance of the notation of the
alternation
of
passage would probably suggest,

aimed
at.
is
not
to
be
The elbow-joint
also
is
therefore
kept "braced."
wrist-joint
must be gently braced.
The The movement is
originated by the action of muscles lying above and beyond the shoulder-joint, The following exercises will help the student to master the difficulties of this indispensable species of armvibration.
Ex.
lap, the
XC
V.
Sitting at the piano,
lay
both hands in the
palm
of the right
on the back
of the
open left-hand.
Take
particular notice of the angle at the elbow which the line of the fore-arm in this pose makes with the line of the
upper-arm.
With the elbow-joint, the

lift
wrist-joint,
and
all
the
finger-joints gently fixed,
out from the body.

the
While hand facing downwards, shake
the right-arm about 8 or 9 inches the arm is held thus, the palm of
it
from side
to side rapidly
and vigorously. The high speed of the movement restricts the latter to a comparatively small area, and makes the fingers be noticed It will present to the eye a blurred appearance.
when the thumb is moved towards the body the elbow is moved away from it. If the movement is executed correctly the student will be conscious of a rapid vibration of muscles of the upper-arm. The shoulder itself must move neither up nor down, and must be held loosely.
during this shaking-movement that
Practise this shaking-movement frequently and at
first
with
both arms simultaneously.
The speed
of both
must be equal.
201
The movement must then be practised with each arm The effort to execute it correctly with the left-arm separately.
alone
may
at first
be found irksome.
the vibration of the be insisted on.

Ex.
Consciousness of upper-arm muscles must

down
XCV. With
all
the fifth-finger of the right-hand hold
the finger-joints, the wrist-joint, and the Keep elbow-joint gently fixed, and raise the tip of the
thumb four
keyboard,
preserving
or five inches above the level
of
the
the
distance of an octave between the

tip.
thumb-tip and the fifth-finger be slightly crooked.

Let the student
The thumb
of
nail-joint
must
now
think
if
i
intently
the
thumb
itself,
and, with the hand held as down-movement as if to s t r
"in
one piece," execute a swift
k e C with the thumb though without actually coming into contact with the key - - instantaneously returning to the previous high pose
of the hand.
Each down-and-up movement must be made

:
at first about once a second, and as swiftly as possible afterwards at shorter intervals. During the stroke, the tip of the thumb describes an arc of a circle.
movement many times until the muscles of the upper-arm are felt to vibrate. As was said before, when the thumb makes its downward movement the elbow moves up and out from the body. The shoulder must
Practise the
be kept from
rising.
The
left-arm
must then be
similarly
drilled
- -
the fifth-
finger holding
down
p^
the
Ex.
XCVI.
With
right-hand
thumb
hold
down
During the exercise, all the finger-joints, the wristand the elbow-joint must be gently fixed, joint, Raise the tip and the hand widened to the "octave" span.
202
of the fifth-finger four or five
inches
above
the
level
of the
keyboard, and thinking
of this finger
make
as
if
a series
in
of
rapid
downward
strokes,
the
hand
acting
one piece and

in
with the finger nearly touching the described in the preceding exercise.
Let
the
key,
the
manner
student
now
It
think
of
the
elbow,
smartly towards the side whenever the

the fifth-finger
is
downward
bringing it stroke of
to its
made.
must return equally smartly
- the two movements being out-pose when the finger rises made as one. The finger-tip describes an arc of a circle. The hand-stroke must at first be made once every second, and afterwards at shorter intervals. The shoulder itself must move neither up nor down.
The
holding
left-arm
must then be
similarly drilled
the
thumb
down
worked
at the
After the student has

cises
with the shoulder held loosely,
two preceding exerhe must then
re-study them with the muscles round the shoulder This tension of the back, chest, and shoulder has been described Sec. 66.
:
tense.
already
applying the movement described in the two preceding exercises to the practical execution of the tremolo, the
In tips of the
fingers
used
in
any
passage
must be
kept
a s
close as possible to the surface of the keys, and

the
arm shaken rapidly "as a whole" the student being always conscious of the vibration of the upper-arm muscles. The wrist is gently fixed, and the shoulder-tension applied.
Ex. XCVII. The tremolo-movement is
best
material
for
practice
of
the
furnished by the Scale played in in "broken" sixths and octaves and also the every key
203
in
Arpeggio
some
of
its
forms.
Each
of the
following types
at.
of the scale in sixths
should be carefully worked
The
last
two
troublesome.
will be found being in parallel motion Octave-scales must be treated similarly.
more perhaps than

of endurance.
frequent practice of these tremolo exercises tends that of any other branch of technique to increase the player's volume of tone, as well as his power
The
Ex. XCVIII.
the interval of a
When two
fifth,
rapidly alternating notes have a fourth, a third, or a second between
them, as
1525
1424
1323
1323
~m
movement. The
it
not necessary to employ the arm-rolling-motion may then be

is
tremolo
used,
and each group of
four notes
may
pair of notes in see Sec. 48. fingering

:
be played to an "ordinary" ellipse: the second each group showing a case of "irregular'*
204
SECTION
91.
THE
When
them the
the
trill
TRILL.
rapid alternation of any two notes having between
interval of a
is
second
as a
major
or
minor
- -
occurs,
the note-pattern
known
"trill."
For
pianistic
may be
divided into two classes
(1) those
purposes which
best played with the arm-rolling-motion, and (2) those for which the tremolo arm-movement is more suitable.
the former class belongs the trill in which both keys are either white or black. It is played in the following
(1)
may be
To
manner
Ex.
XCIX.
^
1
UPPER
1323
1323
R.H.
LOWER
This
LOWER
>
trill
is
used twice
in
played with three fingers, one of which is each group of four notes. The four notes of
to
each group are played

ellipse
:
the
curve-lines
In
see Sec. 36,
Ex. XIII.
the
"ordinary" upper-curve will be
of
an
seen a case
trill,
of "irregular" fingering: see Sec. 48.
During the
the
of the palm form a nearly straight line. The employment alternately may of the first and second finger for the lower note in the above example allows the rolling-motion to be used; and this again
the fore-arm
hand is posed so that the line along and that along the outside edge
the outside of
makes the playing hand and arm.
of the
trill
comparatively
untiring
to
the
205
Ex. C.
On
account of the reverse "lie" of the two hands,

trill
the execution of the left-hand
shows a
1
slight difference.
3231
L.
H.
Although the
played
the lower-curve
in
four
notes
to the curve-lines of
of the group are, as an "ordinary" ellipse, it
before,
is
now
which the "irregular" fingering will be The outward-held pose of the hand (wrist) spoken of seen. above must be maintained here also. The student should practise the trill with both hands the lower note of the trill with both hands simultaneously in order to accustom himself to the unusual muscular sensation caused at first by the reversed nature of the curve-motions.
Ex. CI.
When
the
trill
contains
both
a white and a
in the right black key, a similar arm-rolling-motion is used hand when the white key is the lower of the two in the
:
left
when
:
the
black
key
is
the lower
as in the following
examples
1323
1323
R.H.
1323
1323
L.H.
Ex. CII. (2) When, in the right-hand, the black key is the lower, and in the left-hand is the higher of the two notes of the trill, the movement see Sec. 90 is
tremolo-
then necessary
as in the following examples.
1313
1313
R.H.E
.1313
1313
206
During the execution
In
of these
there will be
noticed
rapid
rotary-action of the fore-arm.
choosing the amount of tension suitable for the
trills,
the student
and
listen
carefully study the requirements of his hand, The closely for equality between the two tones.
last
must
"
peculiar
backward'' fingering given for the
two examples
obliges the arm)
the
hand
to
described
adopt the pose (relative to the line of above. The "crook" of the thumb nail:
joint will often
be found helpful
see Sec. 70, Ex.

trill
LI.
As regards
the
the choice of fingering for a
played with
(1) the
tremolo
to
arm-movement,
played,
much
will
depend on
individuality of the student's
hand,
passage
keyboard.
(1)
be
and
(2) the peculiarity of the trill's situation on (3)
the the
The Individuality
many
is
of
every hand.
players the trill made with two neighbouring fingers easy: the naturally most difficult combinations being 3 with 4, and 4 with 5. And to a few players even these But there are many who, give comparatively little trouble.
For
in spite of their
most careful
efforts,
are
incapable
these
of
ever
of
all
learning to
fingers.
make a really good trill with The impossibility of making the

by teaching them
this
is,
two
pairs
fingers
become
of equal strength
to act as
hammers
on
trill
the keys,
in
case,
obviated by selecting for the

the
ten
a favourable fingering possible to the hand.

the
t r
from
mo
These combinations - are o -movement 1,2; 1,3;

:
two-finger-combinations all played with

1,4;
1,5;
2,3;
2,4;
2,5;
3,4;
3,5;
4,5.
Of these, the best

or black are, the
1st,
for the
trill
with both keys either white
2nd, 5th, 6th, and 9th.
For the trill with a white and a black key, the combinations are all good, except the 8th and. 10th.
above
cor-
207
rect
choice will depend

is
also
black key
is
the lower of the two,
on whether the white or the and on whether the trill
played by the right or the left-hand.

(2)
The peculiarity
of this
of the
passage
is
to
be
:
played.
An example
tr
from Beethoven, Op. 53,
given
5
1
123131313 1515151521212121212121212
35353535 353535353
p-
208
In bringing to a close this attempt to
of piano-teaching,
I
further the
science
may
that
players who knowledge of the intricacies
those
be permitted are anxious

of
to
express
test
the
hope
to
their
present
the
piano
will
principles
of the
Arm-Rolling-motion
by studying the do so only after
they have gone through a certain preliminary training. They ought first to make sure that they have eliminated all unnecessary
exaggerated contraction of the muscles
of
the
hand
and
of
This faulty condition is the upper-muscles of the fore-arm. often the result of a long-continued conscientious use of the
fingers as
HAMMERS.
rid of,
Until the effect of
this
treatment has
and these muscles have been taught to act more passively and with a still arm, the player will not be in a condition to benefit fully by a study of the arm's Rollingbeen got
Motion.
Printed by F.
W.
Gr
ado
w & Sohn,
Hildburghausen (Germany).
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE
CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET

UNIVERSITY OF
TORONTO LIBRARY

Modern Piano-Teaching Townsend

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Application of Rolled Weight. divided equally

Ellipse with Irregular Fingering.

Compound Motion The Loop. The "Reversed"

outlining figures "in the air"

simultaneously Free-arm Exercises

The four preceding exercises worked Making elliptic figure "ordinary"

28 keyboard hands ellipse

dissimilar pairs of fingers

compound-parallel, and compound-

"ordinary" ellipse Teaching two notes legato

Teaching two notes legato

"ordinary" ellipse Permutations played to "ordinary" ellipse

Melody and accompaniment (same hand) played

Single-notes played to "reversed" ellipse

Double-notes played to "reversed" ellipse

Making the Loop

Figure-eight fitted to one-octave scale Figure-eight fitted to one-octave scale

with "C" fingering

hand hand hand hand

Pressure against the fingers separately Knuckle-exercise

for practice of repeated

Innervating muscles of upper-arm and shoulder

span of sixths span of thirds span of fourths

Change Change Change

one finger two fingers

of tension coupled with

Alteration of wrist-angle while playing

Shaking-exercise for the arm

5th finger fixed

(both keys white or both black)

with rolling-motion L. H one white and with rolling-motion

one black key,

one white and one black key, played with tremolo-movement 91

practical application to Piano-playing of the

show the principles of Armto

and Dr. Steinhausen

attention of teachers to the

the technical department of their

to the necessity for

from the beginning,

the piano-playing of the

youngest pupil along lines which previously had been traversed

performances of great artists, has And it has become evident

on the other, of the become more and more

belonging to the body. William Townsend, Modern

and fingers passively, as

far as that is possible.

from one part

that difference in tone

side personal to the performer. ease while playing and, at the

with them at the keyboard.

so frequently met with, and can do so

wrong use much harm to

The extremely quick

return of the key to its highthere must be weight sufficient

that the' key-lever is heavily weighted

key down, therefore, end by means its far

from the arm.

any one key,

there and keep

being affected by the pressure of that weight.